Photo Challenge # 3 – New love – motherhood

 

This is my third post of a challenge to post a picture with a story every day for five days. I am writing on the theme of my new beginnings at times of change in my life.

I had planned to be a career woman. That idea came completely unstuck in 1980 when my first baby was born. From the moment I first held him, and for the next eighteen years until 1998 when my first child left home, my focus and drive became my family. I wrote a poem about this in 2013. I am not much of a poet but to me it captures the essence of this next phase of my life – motherhood …

Memories

I hear the sound of their laughter,
riding their bicycles down the path.
I hear their squeals of joy,
playing with rubber ducks in the bath.

I hear them playing squeaky games,
in the car, at the park, at the beach.
I hear the sound of the piano,
to the depths of my soul, it does reach.

I hear poems, stories, speeches,
‘Who’s on first’ was not the last.
I hear the sound of computer keys,
stirring up memories of the past.

We have teddy bear picnics on the lawn,
underneath the grand old tree.
We walk together to the river,
one united happy family.

They score a goal, they run, and they swim.
I clap and cheer out loud.
They grow, they learn, they graduate.
I am happy for them; and so proud.

I hear the sound of their voices.
I see brimming smiles on their face.
They run with outstretched arms to greet me.
And hug me with memories,
of another time and place.

© 2013

At the same time as my life growing in care and compassion as a mother, I was laying down foundations of comfort in my home and community life.

My roots were also taking new form as my mother once again found her niche, became active in her own community, and gradually became the matriarch of our new extended family. This extended family now branched two ways, back to her siblings and their families, and out to my mother’s new branches of her own children. Many happy family occasions were held for births, weddings, and the celebrations of the older generations’ milestones of 60th, 70th, and 80th birthdays; and wedding anniversaries.

I expanded my expertise in my area of work by doing a post-graduate degree. My husband and I, having set-up business in 1979, gradually expanded the business from 1984. We became identified within the community.

This was a phase of my life of my growing in strength and stability.
I felt much loved, protected and secure.
At the same time I was providing much love, protection and security to those I cared for.

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This post is part # 3 of a series of a writing challenge sent to me by Catherine of catterel with the following guideline:

“Post a photo each day for five consecutive days and attach a story to the photo. It can be fiction or non-fiction, a poem or a short paragraph and each day nominate another blogger for the challenge.”

This third post represents another ‘new beginnings’ – motherhood. The soft toy and blanket conjure up memories of my children as babies. They are originals!

Today I nominate Louise from Dare Boldly who has always inspired me, and I would also like to nominate Val at Finding Your Middle Ground who has always helped me find my way back to reality during tough times. Thanks to both of them for their constant support.

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One thing that I had NOT bargained for when I entered motherhood … thirty-four years later in the middle of a freezing cold winter … when the weather is about to crack up completely and pour down with rain for three days … was to receive an invitation to go away for a couple of days doing some bush walks. How could I resist such a chance to spend some time alone with my eldest son?

So I am going to break the terms of this challenge and it will be a three-day interlude before my last two posts in this series. See you all then.