Twenty-five years ago today I was initiated into the world of motherhood with the birth of my daughter, Ashley. The love I felt for this wee babe was unlike anything I had ever experienced before. Becoming a mother gave me a whole new context for interpreting the meaning of life.
In the first few weeks after Ashley's birth, I remember feeling overwhelmed by the responsibility of caring for an infant wholly dependent upon me for her survival.
As I look back, I wasn't into reading any of the popular parenting books of the time, it just never really entered my stream of consciousness. I relied a lot on my psychiatric nursing training for the valuable knowledge and tools that helped me understand and support positive human behaviour and development. Though, what really stands out is how much I seemed to instinctively follow my intuition or inner knowing to guide my decisions and approaches to difficult situations I faced as a mother.
Children provide us with so many opportunities to grow and become the best of our selves. Today, I have been digging through those many lessons learned because I believe there's a wealth of gold to be mined from the experiences of the past that can be transferred to how I live my life now.
In the first few weeks after Ashley's birth, I remember feeling overwhelmed by the responsibility of caring for an infant wholly dependent upon me for her survival.
As I look back, I wasn't into reading any of the popular parenting books of the time, it just never really entered my stream of consciousness. I relied a lot on my psychiatric nursing training for the valuable knowledge and tools that helped me understand and support positive human behaviour and development. Though, what really stands out is how much I seemed to instinctively follow my intuition or inner knowing to guide my decisions and approaches to difficult situations I faced as a mother.
Children provide us with so many opportunities to grow and become the best of our selves. Today, I have been digging through those many lessons learned because I believe there's a wealth of gold to be mined from the experiences of the past that can be transferred to how I live my life now.
Happy Birthday Ashley!
Thank you for the learning and for enriching my life.
I love you.
Maman
xo
Ashley in Paris 2011
Photograph: The Art of Purposeful Living
Thought Challenge: What are the nuggets of knowledge that you can use to help guide you now and in the future? How have you used your lived experiences to inform your decision-making processes? How has parenting or taking care of someone or some thing contributed to who you are today?
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