A friend recently forwarded an email to me titled "The Invisible Mother," a short essay comparing the tireless and often thankless job of a mother to the builders of Europe's great cathedrals. Both give their whole lives for a work they will never see finished, both make sacrifices and expect no credit, and both are fueled in their passion by the faith that the eyes of God see every detail. The writer of the essay was inspired by the thought that our endless efforts in motherhood, invisible as they may seem, are worth it and can make an enriching life.
For many of us, the way we choose to hold our invisibility at bay is by creating something tangible. For me, my days often end with knitting - my love of fiber and the need to do something relaxing end up producing something I can hold and look at. Nobody will know how many times I swept under the high chair that day, or how many toys I picked up, or how many times I tried to coax a "please" or "more" or "sorry" out of my 5 year old. But a darling, handmade infant hat? That you can see.
I start new projects every day, and my 10 year old does the same. In this process of creating (and yes, often not finishing our projects!) we connect with each other and a bigger picture of ourselves in the process. My plan for this blog is to share the projects that excite me and bring some accessible proof of my existence in this invisible world of mothering!
So, this blog is dedicated to the mothers out there whose days are filled with the minutia of tasks that build our children and our families. I often tell people that I haven't decided what I want to be when I grow up. But for now, I am the builder of a great cathedral. With every shoelace tied, lunch packed, and forehead kissed, I build.
Over achiever or not, it's the fulfillment that you get from your activities and pursuits that counts! And, if they help ease the stresses of the day/week/month/year, then who cares! :) Seeing all those heart cookies reminds me of how I used to make them nearly every year myself. Haven't done that for a while. Maybe I'll surprise the kids in my class and do them someday for no special reason, other than I adore them.
ReplyDeleteI think whatever dolly wears that little sweater won't mind lumpy seams and will love it. It's amazing how yarn choices sure define a project. I've had several missteps in that arena myself lately. Live and learn, eh?
Sending love and prayers your way for speedy resolution of the job loss/repositioning for Brad. Keep us posted.
xoxoxox