as diverse and varied as we are, there is one theme i hear often among mothers of all types... who am i? women frequently share with me their battle to find their new identity after becoming a mother. i think it's ingrained in our minds to constantly be evaluating who we are. i have a theory though as to why mothers struggle in this area. are you ready? it's because we are trying so hard to find one category we fit in. as in "i'm a stay at home mom" or "i'm an attachment parent" or "i'm a homeschooler". we do the same with our everyday life... "i'm a republican" or "i'm a liberal" or "i'm a hippie". you know what i mean? the problem is that none truly fit in just one category. we can be different things at different stages or different seasons or different hours. i may be a strict, micromanaging kind of parent with my child who needs that from me and a totally laid back parent with a child who doesn't. i may be a leader in social situations but a follower of my husband. some moments i'm extremely extroverted to the point of overbearing and other times i'm guarded and reserved. i am not employed outside of the home but i run a home childcare business. does that make me a working mom or a stay home mom? and let's be honest, does any mom never work? you get my point here. the reason we have such a hard time finding a label for ourselves is because we fit so many different labels. our best bet is to quickly realize and accept that we are who we are. a crazy juxtaposition of qualities and strengths and weaknesses all rolled together into one. you know?
i am
mother
friend
critic
daughter
lover
follower of Jesus
aunt
listener
believer
questioner
cousin
partner in crime
comic
bandaid provider
blogger
defender of the underdog
irreplaceable
and many, many other labels. i am me. and that's good enough for now!
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