You’ve all seen it, the tongue-in-cheek blog making its rounds on facebook about the poor overworked mom who is accosted by the elderly ladies in Target who tell her to seize the day, to cherish the moments while her children are young … because they go so fast. Well this advice, “while all good and right”, bugs poor Glennon Melton, because seizing the day, just “doesn’t work” for her. Glennon Melton finds parenting to be “Brutiful”, both beautiful and brutal and often writes to help her heal from her “bulimia, alcoholism, and jerkiness”. No, I did not make this up, she wrote that tag herself — catchy, isn’t it?
Every time I’m out with my kids — this seems to happen: An older woman stops us, puts her hand over her heart and says something like, “Oh, Enjoy every moment. This time goes by so fast.” Everywhere I go, someone is telling me to seize the moment, raise my awareness, be happy, enjoy every second, etc, etc, etc.
I know that this message is right and good. But, I have finally allowed myself to admit that it just doesn’t work for me. It bugs me. This CARPE DIEM message makes me paranoid and panicky. Especially during this phase of my life – while I’m raising young kids. Being told, in a million different ways to CARPE DIEM makes me worry that if I’m not in a constant state of intense gratitude and ecstasy, I’m doing something wrong.
This particular article bugged ME. Really really bugged me. I think poor harried Glennon, needs to step back and think about what these advice givers are really saying. Of course, it’s not fun to clean up spills one right after the other, of course we don’t enjoy the meltdowns in Target or the knocking down of mannequins at the mall. What these seasoned moms are saying is live in the moment, be there. Really hear your child crying and laughing. Remember the sound. Truly study his or her face, soak in their beauty. Hold your child, remember what she feels like. Embrace a late dinner, allow the stares of the gapers to penetrate you, imprint the smell of your freshly bathed baby in your mind, experience the pressures, the pain, the joy, the stress, the excitement and then enjoy the solace at the end of the day as you sink into a hot bath with a book and smile as you recall the day.
[ad name=”Google Adsense Banner”]I think the worst feeling in the world, worse than the tantrums, worse than a messy house or a destroyed car … I think the absolute worst feeling would be to wake up one morning to a quiet and empty house and feel like you missed it all. The pain of that emptiness would be overbearing. It really does go by so fast. A few years ago, I had my first child, now today she is 18. I take solace in the fact that I’ve never been in a rush and homeschooling has simply expanded my peace, it’s slowed down the rush of life. I don’t look forward to the days when the kids will be off fending for themselves. So, rather than seeing your children as an interruption to your established routine, take a deep breath, relax, and just go with the flow. Because you never get these days back. Ever. So I do, actually, Carpe Diem as much as is humanly possible and so should you!
Really? I feel like this every day. So much pressure to be a good mom, clean house, laundry, 3 healthy meals, happy husband, happy children – I don’t have time to Carpe Diem anything. If you found the magic pill that makes life slow down, please let me in, otherwise, you must be full of shit.
She (Glennon Melton) bugs me. She’s on some pity party expedition and wants us all to clap our hands that she finishes a day. As if none of us understand mothering. She’s ridiculous. Great take on her blog. I tend to agree with you 93% of the time.
I like her name, wish it was spelled Glynnon tough.
LOL, I thought the same thing when I read her blog. Annoying. Moms don’t want to read about this kind of crap do they?
She’s so over the top with her sarcasm, it’s impossible to decipher whether she’s a wrench or a truly deeply inspired person. I hate almost everything on huffington.
Did you bother to read past the first 2 paragraphs? It’s beautiful and I often feel just as she. Perhaps you’re so high on your horse you don’t realize how out of touch you are?
Oh, I loved her blog, but now I hate her blog. You are so right. You don’t have to enjoy every minute but you shouldn’t rush them either. You do tend to romanticize the bad later, so she kinda had a point, but yours is better.
I can see both sides here. I do appreciate being stopped by women and reminded what it’s all about. I’ll be in the aisle at the grocery store and my youngest will be melting. Just having someone talk to me is about the most loving gesture ever.But then, how do you remember to embrace the day? I barely remember to brush my teeth and I only have 3.
I read her blog because you are right it’s all over facebook. I felt her to be dripping with contempt for motherhood. You are right, it goes by in the blink of an eye. I wish I could do it all over with what i know now. You are a very insightful person, and for being as young as you are.
Really? You have 11 kids. You homeschool and you actually can look me straight in the eye and say that you experience life? I can only imagine were i you, I’d be a closet alcoholic, perhaps a pill popper as well.
Wow, awesome article, I thought the exact same thing when I read that original article. She doesn’t sound like a very happy person, kinda like spreading the sludge around.
Children are gifts, if you can’t handle being a mother and your days are filled with agony, perhaps being a stay at home mom is not your calling. Your children would be better in daycare.
I think it’s the kids who need some kairos moments dealing with their parents who rush them from ballet to football to playdates to lunchdates to preschool to the list is endless. Chill!
Agreed, the problem is moms are so wrapped up in what they have to or want to do that they completely fail to realize their life is not about them any more. Get a grip moms and relax, slow down.
I think what you missed in her article were the “kairos” moments that she described. Moments when you do step back and realize how gorgeous your children are, breathe in their sweet smells, recognize how much more inherently important your life is now that they exist. We have have these moments- often a few, several, many a day. But let’s be honest- parenting is so unbelievably hard. There are countless times where you feel like you want to curl up Ina ball and go to sleep, run away, just have a single moment of peace. That’s okay. That’s normal. And it feels good for mothers to hear that others feel that way too. That’s all she was trying to say. You don’t have to be a superhero- its ok for life not to be rainbows and sunshine all the time. It doesn’t mean you don’t love and cherish your life and children and it doesn’t make you a bad mother. On the contrary, it makes you normal. There are so many women out there suffering from postpartum depression because no one prepared them for “the truth”. The truth is that parenting is wonderful, amazing, indescribable, exhausting, boring, and shitty. That’s the truth. Plain and simple.
I agree with you 100% parenting is hard!! :)I just thought it was sad that is was the run and hide moments that were predominant and the kairos moments were fleeting. It ought to be the other way around, don’t you think? That the moments where you are being driven nuts ought not be the norm, you are missing something critical if that’s the case. Why would anyone want to be a parent if it was 99% hell and 1% happy? Parenting is something you choose to do, something that defines most of us … not simply something that happens to us. :))) It is our responsibility to ensure we are happy in our lives … if we are that miserable, that often, something is dreadfully wrong!! Time to change things up and bit and start living and acting instead of reacting!!
Certainly we all create our own happiness- I am a big believer in that. I don’t think she was saying she is unhappy her life- just that her everyday life is hard and exhausting. It’s easy when you are on the other side or the outside to romanticize how perfect and amazing parenting is, but being in the moment is less fairy tale and more mundane. Doesn’t mean you don’t love so many aspects of it, just that it’s frustrating when people are judging your perspective when they only get tiny snippets. It was the parent that said she loved “every single moment” of parenting that she was having trouble relating to. Any parent that says that is either delusional, lying or has empty nest -induced amnesia. I think what glennon was trying to stres was that its better to accept that parenting is not a fairy tale. Own it and move on. Then you aren’t wasting time feeling guilty and depressed that it isnt exactly what you thought it would be. You can wnjoy the great moments and brush off the awful
moments as just “part of the deal”. I think for most of us, it allows for much greater overall happiness. Sorry, not trying to get in a debate, I just get upset when mothers get down on other mothers for being honest.
I don’t think the writer of this blog is “It’s easy when you are on the other side or the outside to romanticize how perfect and amazing parenting is” she is pregnant with her 12th child. I think what she is impying, or at least what I am implying is that if you have your 1.6 or 2 or 3 or even four children and can’t find happiness and your days are filled with crud dealing with your kids, it’s time for you to change your life. You really think a mom who says she loves every single moment of parenting is a liar? Really? I guess I’m in need of a shrink because I adore my kids to the point of even loving them when they are throwing fits, but I try very hard to realize they are not an extention of me, they are people, so fits are few and far between. Crying about your children to a mom of 12 is sort of like crying about lack of sleep to an insomniac. Not trying to come down hard on you, but for someone who says she gets upset when mothers get down on other mothers, you sure came down hard on this writer and mothers who claim to love being mothers.
Oh don’t be bothered by the” I’m happy, really really happy” people. You’d have to be deaf and blind to miss the crap said and written about being a parent, it’s the rare brave soul who writes and says I love being a mom, they are condemned and crucified for it. I am a mom to 4 and when I see a mom in Target with her 2 children and they are both crumbling, I really truly think she must suck. You either high tail it out of there super fast because you misjudged their ability to handle it (which is the case 99% of the time when talking about kids 3 and U). But if your child is 4 or older, girlfriend you really ought to be embarrassed and no amount of sisterly pity will be enough to get through what you are going to have to get through when they are teens. Of course no-one is happy 100% of the time, but typically those unhappy times are self-inflicted.
I’d love for you to explain how I “came down hard” on this mother. What I did was try to reframe Glennons intentions because this author certainly came away with a very different impression than I or most others mothers I know who read this article did. Your impressions and this authors impressions are that glennon is miserable and unhappy with her life. Just because she is honest in saying that parenting is not a fairy tale does not mean that she is miserable. You are choosing to read that into her words. I am crying to you about my children? When did I do that? No one is crying to you about their children. I have not and glennon has not. We are not asking you to feel sorry for us. Don’t feel sorry for me- I have a fantastic life with a fantastic husband and fantastic children. Do I cherish my life? Absolutely. Did I relate to every single thing glennon said? Absolutely. Do I think parents who say they love every single moment of parenthood are lying? Absolutely. You have twisted words a bit- no one ever said they dont love their children every moment of the day. When my child is throwing a fit in the middle of target while I am trying to keep my other one from opening a bag of chips and I have a gallon of milk in one hand and a bag of diapers in the other, do I still love my children intensly? Of course. Am I lovin that moment of parenthood? Hell no. But that’s ok- like I said, own it and move on. And, to clarify- I wasn’t referring to this author when I talked about those on the other side and the outside. I was referring to the people that glennon mentioned who have already raised their children or young women who have not yet had children who are looking at parenthood through rose-colored glasses. Like I mentioned before, I have experienced first hand and watched many women suffer through post-partum depression because they are made to feel that they can not be honest that there are parts of parenting that suck because if they are, people like you will tell them they are doing something wrong. Why not allow them their feelings and let them be? Why is it that if a mother admits she doesn’t love every single moment and aspect of motherhood, that has to mean that she doesn’t love being a mother? It was only when I allowed myself to feel real feelings that I found true happiness.
Forgot to mention that you should read glennons blog. If you did, you would see that she is very clear that her children saved her. When she found out she was pregnant, she was a depressed alcoholic. From the moment she found out that she was pregnant, she never had another drink and recognized the beauty in life. She loves being a mother- but that doesn’t change the honest truth that it is hella hard. And I respect her for the courage to put it out there to a world of people who will tell her that her honesty means she is doing something wrong.
I hear the happiness in your words.
I assume that is sarcasm, therefore I am sorry that you don’t hear the happiness in my words cause it is very evident. Perhaps you should read my comments again. I am more sorry that you don’t seem to have many intelligent words of your own. I have to say, I am mystified by the apparent aversion you have to people experiencing a range of emotions. It seems so simple and inherently obvious to me- Nothing is wonderful and perfect all the time. Now, couple that with the fact that we are talking about something that is universally agreed to be the hardest job in the world. You mean to tell me that there aren’t going to be countless times when you throw your arms up in defeat? That is reality. I’m sorry that you have trouble admiting that life is a variety of good, bad and all in between. I have a friend who has dealt with depression most of her life. When she announced she was pregnant, I was thrilled for her and confident she would be a fantastic mother. But I knew she was at risk for post partum depression so I decide to talk to her. I told her about the wonders and joys she could expect in parenthood. I also told her that it wouldn’t be a matter of “if” but “when” she wild have moments when she wanted and needed to “tap out”. And I told her that those moments are normal and when she has them, she should. Get her husband I there to hold the baby, call her parents and ask th to watch the baby while she takes a much needed shower. Fast forward two months after she has the baby…I finally had a chance to really talk to her since life was, well…life. And do you know the first thing she said to me? “parenting is HARD! Its so awesome and I love my daughter imaginably, but man is it hard.”. She went on to thank me for the advice. She admitted that when I first dispensed it, she thought she wasnt going to need it. She thought she would want to soak up every moment, not miss out on a single little thing. But the reality of parenthood is different than the romanticized version. It’s ok that listening to a screaming, crying baby for 6 hours straight can make you feel like you want to run for the hills. Its ok not to have superhuman strength, patience, and empathy. I’m so glad I supported and validated my fellow mothers’ feelings. Imagine the scenario if I hasn’t spoken to her previously and she called me two moths after the baby was born. She says “man, parenthood is HARD!” and I respond “really?! Cause I love every single second. Every moment. Maybe you’re doing something wrong.” instead of feeling validated, now she feels guilt and shame. Is it so hard for you to support and validate your fellow mothers? So, to all of you mothers who DO have really human emotions, the next time you are at the mall trying to find a present for your husband and you need to leave in no less than 3 minutes cause your baby is screaming and needs to nurse and you look down to discover that the warm wetness that you feel on the first non-pajama shirt you have put on in 3 weeks is diarrhea and you realize at that moment- sometimes parenting sucks….I got ya.
Wow Camille. I missed your comment somehow. What judgement. I find that really sad. I have two incredibly well behaved children and, just when I think that, clearly I have done all the right things and others who are less fortunate clearly have not,my very well behaved children will surprise me with some pretty terrible behavior. And you know, sometimes I handle it perfectly and sometimes I don’t. Because I AM NOT PERFECT. I can believe how hard mothers are on other mothers. Makes me feel sad 🙁
First of all, I wouldn’t be caught dead at the mall looking for a present for my husband. Second I’m a much better wife than one who would wear a pajama shirt for 3 weeks (really!) and 3rd, Heather, you are judging others for being judgmental — not cool!! You are too caught up in your fantasy to see that most of us are not like you. We have emotions, we have moments, but they are fleeting and that’s why they aren’t worth mentioning. I would also NEVER ever throw my hands up in “defeat” ever. Of course parenting is tough. You want a medal and recognition for this, you won’t get it. We’re all right there with you, but we choose to relish in the good and brush off the bad, that’s why we are happy. YOu’ve successfully convinced yourself you have it hard, so you have a very difficult life. I’m sorry.
Once again, you are reading words that are not there. Go back and read again. I said almost exactly what you did- owning my feelings allows me to enjoy the good and brush off the bad. Sorry I go to the mall sometimes (??) and, yes, admittedly wore pajamas for about a month straight after my first baby was born. Something which my husband and I laugh hysterically about now…no, I was not wearing my jimmy choos and silk blouses when I had a baby throwing up all over me constantly. And, as I stated before, no need to feel sorry for me. I live a fantastic life. But I also empathize with the mothers who just want a little validation that parenting can be crazy hard a d they dont love every single moment. That’s all. Nobody wants a medal. Who said that? Where are you guys coming up with these things??Geez people, don’t know why that’s so difficult. And yes, I will judge people all day long who say that they think a mother “must really suck” if she has a child throwing a fit in public. Who hasn’t been there? Who hasn’t had a moment when our brain is just exhausted and you think “what am I supposed to do right now?”. Be honest people- we have all been there. Probably more than not, we’ve handled it “appropriately”. But don’t tell me you never made poor parenting choices- or thought you were making good choices with awful outcomes. I grew up my whole life hearing how “difficult” my sister was as a child. My mother is a strong, smart, loving wonderful example of what a woman and mother should be. She did almost everything right. But my sister was so damn smart and determined that she sometimes ran circles around my mom, and my mom would throw her arms up in “defeat” (this is obviously semantics- we clearly are not defeated on parenting but perhaps feel defeated in that moment). Im sure there were many a woman who judged my mom and they watched my sister tirade in public as she sometimes did. And now as an adult- my sister is married to a fantastic man, is an awesome mother, is incredibly close to all her family members, has countless friends, is kind, loving, smart, driven, has two masters degrees and a phd and is happy- and recognizes that parenthood is hella hard! Maybe people thought that my mom “must really suck” when they saw her with my sister as a child, but she sure as hell did a lot of things right.
Oh, and I realize that I should probably clarify that my mother never called my sister difficult. Again- semantics. My mom always referred to my sister as a “spirited” child.
Now I know for certain we are nothing alike – “jimmy choos and silk blouses”. I have a spirited child too. She’s exactly like I was, only smarter. My mother never knew when too much was too much. I stay home with my children, I’m a mom 24/7. I just choose not to complain and try to convince other people that motherhood is hard, I just assume they know and would rather keep on keeping on, focus on the good and not the bad. Others prefer to sing it from the rooftops to gain what? Sympathy? Kudos? What? Every other sentence is “parenthood is hard”. No kidding, so is childhood, so is skiing, so is law school, so is every other worthwhile thing we do. I don’t know of many olympic athletes, who experience frustration and agony on a daily basis, who blog about how hard it is. Life is hard. It’s a fact. I don’t need any accolades because I’m alive. I don’t need to write a blog about how hard life is and that geez, if people would just stop telling me to enjoy it I’d be able to cope better. That’s nonsensical.
Agreed. Jimmy Choos? As if. Silk blouses? Not remotely cool. I prefer yoga pants and a tank, that’s mom gear, for being on the go. All our money goes toward survival, not luxury, so perhaps that is where the difference lays (or lies?). The moms that have it all aren’t as happy as the moms who don’t? The moms with it all are thinking, “I’m giving up my Jimmy Choos for this?” Or, “I could be in HI, but I’m here with this cranky kid, why?” They are longing for more. The rest of us are simply living and living simply. I wouldn’t trade my bad days for anything, for one, they help me appreciate the good and two, they all are made up of moments for me and me alone. I can’t believe this author is pregnant with her 12th baby! I have 1 4 year old daughter and twin 2 year old boys. You are an inspiration. I’m going to watch your videos and read the rest of your blogs. Awesome!
Clearly you don’t understand irony and after this post I am finished because what is nonsensical is trying to discuss a topic with someone who doesnt truly listen to your words. Again, I urge you to look at glennons blog. She is not singing how hard parenthood is from every rooftop. You are judging her based on one post that happened to get a lot of recognition because she happens to be an excellent writer. You are absolutely correct- so many aspects of life and life itself is hard. That’s why no one expects you to say “gosh, I loved every single second of law school. Every single moment.” you embrace that it was interesting, fun, exhilerating, exhausting, confusing, aggravating and, in the end, worth every cent. And that is parenthood.
I toally agree with Heather. Parenting is grueling and quite frankly I’m not entirely sure I’d do it all again had I known how absolutely unrelenting it is. Perhaps it’s a calling, perhaps it’s something you are either meant to do or not. I went back to work, working 65 hours a week is easier than being a mom. I admire you devoted moms who are able to put your wants and needs aside completely and be utterly selfless, that’s not me. I need to wear my nice clothes, I need to shop in peace, I need to have a life. But, I will agree that Glennon is a whiner and her posts are draining on the psyche.
Oh boy, Heather sounds like a joy. I’m an FBI profiler: blond, rich, organizer of playdates, coffee house lover, 2 girls, Hailey and Charlie, SAHM, though she opines for the freedom of having a job., makes sure no-one thinks for one second that she has it made or has it easy or is lucky in any way shape or form. you get the picture?
Wow, we’ve got some miserable women on here. Carpe Diem or before you know it you’ll have nothing to Carpe’.
Terrific blog, I agree, so tiring to hear nothing but complaints from mom’s and excuses and to why they do what they do.
Well said …
Seems to me that “kairos” is like “quality time” on overdrive. This idea that “a few moments a day” of love and joy balance out hours and hours a day of feeling like it’s “unbelievably hard” and that one can never catch up … what brought us to this?
Give yourself the gift of quantity time … I think that we will see the “unbelievably hard” moments shrink away and find joy in the mundane and routine flow of life.
I found the post Don’t carpe Diem to be very real. I related to that post on so many levels. Though I also see what you are saying about savouring moments I think perhaps you could learn to take posts such as Glennon Melton’s with a grain of salt. It is not literally there to say ‘don’t appreciate your child’.
I try and ‘carpe diem’ whenever I get a chance or remember but there sure are those days when I just want to scream and throw that out the window.
Thank god!!!! My uncle just reposted this BS the other day and although I love him dearly, I think Glennons article is really a byproduct of middle/upper class closed in the closet not knowing what the rest of the world goes through syndrome. I mean sheesh, really it is such a chore and a hassle to raise your children in the warmth of your nice cozy home, go grocery shopping at moments whim(I know half the world wouldnt care if their kids acted up in line at a store if only they could afford or had the means to buy groceries). This article and the 99 percent that resonated with it makes me sick to my stomach. I just read that over 60,000 people have died in Syria…….These people have been living in war torn country for years, there is literal starvation, kids dying all over the world and this lady has the gall to say that she counts down the clock until her kids go to bed at night. Can we say SPOILED. She has no clue what it is like to suffer…..MOUNT EverEST PLEASE. Her life is sitting in a pool sipping a margaritta compared to most of the world. I could understand if she had a child with special needs or cancer or really had gone through something but SHEESH. She has three normal children and what appears to be a nice house with a decent marriage and a steady income. I am glad I am not the only one who felt this way. Most of this country makes me sick with their whining about non-problems. All I can say is disgusting.
Donna you might want to read the “about” section on Glennons blog. She’s been through alcoholism and addiction and come out the other side. Think she might have a little clue about suffering.
The judging and slandering that’s gone on in these comments is despicable. No wonder so many moms are afraid to admit they’re not coping & fall apart on the inside, if this is the attitude they get.
Aaah, I see what’s going on though…its a case of who’s in and who’s out isn’t it. Glennon is out, she’s too privileged and beautiful and she likes shopping of all things. Heather is out, she mentioned Jimmy Choo and malls and to top it off, neither of them experience motherhood like you do, which surely everyone MUST cos your experience of motherhood is the objective truth. So therefore you know all you need to know about them and their lives and their values from the few words you’ve read and you write them off because of it.
PS I realise I am months late to this discussion. Im convicted to post, so I post anyway.
I, too, am late to this post. But after reading it all I am saddened beyond belief by the way we are pointing fingers and tearing each other down rather than standing together as women – whether we love every second of parenting or find every second a drain. The truth is we are sisters and that is something Glennon and a whole lot of other women try to protect. Toni Morrison wrote that “A sister can be seen as someone who is both ourselves and very much not ourselves, a special kind of double.” We will disagree, we will excel (and fail) in varied ways, and we will live vastly different lives but need we judge and tear down and prove why we are better, we are right, we are the ‘good’ mothers, women, sisters??
It’s neither here nor there if you don’t like Glennon’s blog. If it bothers you, don’t read it. If it inspires you, search it out. But, at the end of the day, we will be better mothers, wives, friends, sisters when we learn to stand together in the midst of all our differences.
Sounds like you’ve mastered parenting. Congratulations. Now attempt to master empathy. PRETEND you can understand parents like me who DON’T want to seize every single moment. I DON’T want to seize the potty-training-gone-tragically-wrong moments, the four boys sleeping on the airbed together and one-of-the-brothers-throws-up-on-the-others moments, the “I hate you” moments (not just the innate hurtfulness of it, but also because “hate” is a word I’ve tried very, very hard to keep out of their vocabularies but they picked it up somewhere anyway). I don’t want to seize the pinkeye moments or the diarrhea moments or the taking-a-child-back-into-the-store-to-confess-and-pay-for-a-stolen-candy moments. I am PRESENT in those moments, I OWN those moments. They are mine just as thoroughly as my children are mine and adored by me…There are just some moments that I’d rather just get over with because I know that there are so many more sparkling, shining, wonderful moments that I want to draw into my heart so THOSE memories will be vivid when my children have grown. I don’t need someone telling me I’m doing it wrong or should feel guilty because I don’t treasure every moment. The sweetest encouragement I ever received was an older lady who watched my 4 sons being their wild, rambunctious selves and with a little smile said kindly, “It’s hard work, but you’re doing a good job.”
Whew, such anger? Beware the need for other’s praise…
The first time I read one of G’s posts, I found myself combing through more. I identified with some of the things she said and thought she had a great writing style. Now it’s just too much. And it doesn’t take long to get to “too much” if you have thoughts of your own that aren’t manipulated easily. I’m in marketing, so I see what she is doing. I’m not saying she isn’t doing good for many people. I’m sure she has made a positive influence on many, many people’s lives. Which is great, and more than many of us can say. For that, I commend her. However, it’s just too much. Too much gush and mush. She takes the realities of life—and yes, we all know too well that the realities aren’t always pleasant, aren’t always “beautiful” and are often “brutal” (or “brutiful” as G so repeatedly calls it)–and channels them into something that leads you to say “enough already!” Too much of a good thing is just that – too much. G has almost cult-like followers. Great! Following something positive is better than following something negative. But cult-like is cult-like. It’s an obsession. Step out into life and just live it on your own terms. Not someone else’s.
I saw this post while searching for “don’t carpe diem’ to share with some good, tired mamas.
Life is so full of teachable moments. From what I’ve read of Glennon on Momestary (which I really enjoy), she seems like a very grace filled woman who is guiding her children with integrity, honesty and hope. She strikes me as a woman who is sorting through the confusion that is the human condition trying to see the beauty. Her post of about one mothers love and heartbreak for a child with leukemia had me crying through the whole thing. She shared a profound story about a family who treasures their children, both who were diagnosed with autism. That family’s story is so truthfully pain and hope. She gives voice to my own journey striving to be faithful as a mother, wife, Christian, human in an imperfect world. She inspires me in the way she will enter challenging scenarios and in humility process through it. I know I am definitely a work in progress and also very blessed– I’m not sure I will ever be able to separate those two elements.
Oh, and who cares what clothing we wear as moms or where we run errands. Strange string of arguments and judgements.