When I was 16 I was going to conquer the world! (Weren’t we all, LOL?)
I had huge plans and ambitions.
One day I looked at my mother and felt so sorry for her.
She was very smart but never went to college. She (at the time) didn’t work outside the home. She was ‘just a housewife’ as the saying goes.
But at 16 I thought, isn’t it too bad that she never did anything important.
And being 16 I said that to her.
Her reply startled me.
She said: “But I did do something important. I had you!”
I remember thinking, oh that is so sad! To have such low aspirations!
But now, all these years later, I completely understand what she meant.
I just read this statistic the other day: Ninety two percent of the people who lived and died on this planet left no trace of their life.
How sad.
But I don’t think it’s true.
Because we’ve left a part of ourselves in our children.
And that’s an ENORMOUS trace of my life.
So true. Great post! I remember having a similar conversation with my mom--wise women they were, right? Interesting, too about the 92% statistic. Perhaps leaving a trace of ourselves is a first world phenomena.
ReplyDeleteAnd maybe that's one of the reasons that we, as artists, do what we do?
This post is thought-provoking...
You betcha! I had a bumper sticker on my mini van for years that read, "MOTHERHOOD IS A PROUD PROFESSION". I loved being a stay at home, home educating mom and am loving being grandma now! Woo Hoo for the traces I'm leaving!
ReplyDeleteOh yes, I set my mother straight a few times too. I wish I'd been smarter than that now. She didn't live long enough for me to be able to take back some of the things I said either. Children and friends are the two greatest things we can leave behind when we die.
ReplyDeleteoh my goodness, yes, yes, yes!!
ReplyDeleteNot entirely on point, but I had a conversation with another stay-at-home-mom/friend just yesterday, about how MANY people lose interest in talking to you the moment they learn you're 'only a mom'! Like you couldn't possibly have anything interesting to say, taking care of your own child! Hah! Their loss!
On point then - what a touching post!!