"This Woman's Work."
- Dec 10, 2017
- 2 min read
"This Woman's Work," is a song originally written and performed by British singer Kate Bush and was featured on the soundtrack of the American film "She's Having a Baby" (1988). To understand the full meaning of the song, if you don't already know it, watch the movie and it will all make sense.
In 1997, Maxwell covered the song for the release of his album "MTV Unplugged," and then later re-recorded it for his album "Now" in 2001. I was immediately drawn to the song for its dreamy sound and melancoly lyrics.
My first stint at motherhood happened in July of 1993 with the birth of my first born daughter. I was 23 at the time, had just graduated from college, gotten married and begun my professional career as an educator (yes 1993 was a very busy year for me).
By 1998, I experienced motherhood for a second time with the birth
of my baby girl and again in 2013 with the birth of my only son. The 15 year age difference between these two ensures that by the time he turns 18 I will be a grandmother, have retired, receiving social security benefits, enrolled in AARP and taking advantage of every senior citizen discount there is.
I share this with you because as I reflect back over the last 24 years, I realize that the majority of my adult life I have spent as someone's mother. I willingly forfeited the opportunity to live the single life. To be utterly selfish with myself, for myself, by myself and to revel in the deafening silence that only a true introvert can love.
Now before you raise your eyebrows and gasps in utter disbelief of what you're reading rest assured that I LOVE BEING A MOTHER! I have no regrets for taking the path that I've chosen or for having my children. They are after all the wind beneath my wings.
It's just that lately, there seems to be a little less wind and I'm loosing a bit of altitude. My girls are all grown up and moving in their own fierceness. Carving their own paths and leaving their own marks. They don't need me as much as they once did and I'm alright with that, I think.
When being a mother is all you have known, it's difficult to identify with being anything else. At least it has been for me. I seem to have found myself betwixt and between two worlds; both fighting for my undivided attention. An internal battle that can only be won when this woman's work is done...
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