The bond between woman and child is recognized annually in the United States on the second Sunday of May. But in the Davis household, Mother's Day is every day.
When my mother gave birth to my oldest brother in 1972, she left the workforce to become a full-time parent. She once told me that she chose to forgo a career because she didn't want a stranger raising her kids. I didn't know what to make of this revelation because the women's liberation movement -- which was in full swing when she made this life-altering decision -- was about achieving balance in the home and at the office. As I got older, I realized that no goal is achieved without sacrifice ... and being a good parent is no exception.
Putting a child's needs ahead of your own isn't an easy feat to pull off, but my mother did it with ease. She probably dreamed of going to college and traveling around the world, but those aspirations went unfulfilled as she devoted herself to maintaining the house and nursing our ailments (among other things). Living under the same roof occasionally made us bring out the worst in each other as I reached adolescence (and adulthood), and differences of opinion sometimes turned into bitter conflict.
Unlike the baby boomer generation, I can't imagine being a wife and mother at the age of 25. (Britney Spears did it, and look how her life turned out!) Generation X members are career-oriented people who have no qualms about delaying motherhood or marriage ... and while that makes me an "old maid" in my mother's eyes, I also know her love for me is unconditional.
The relationship between mother and daughter is as complicated as it is everlasting ... but it's one of the most rewarding connections that two females can share. I love you, Mom!
2 comments:
This was a great post.
Post a Comment