A Moment of Reflection

Being a parent has made me realize that so often a lot of parenting is funny.  I mean, really, if it weren't, then a lot of it would just be hair pulling.  So you must laugh.  But every now and then, I am overwhelmed by these feelings of deep intimate reflection.  And so here I am.

There are lots of things I expected about parenting, but even more, there are so many things that I never saw coming.  And I am forever grateful for these things.  I owe my daughter for my place in life.  The place I sit today, the person I am, the people who surround me.  I owe to my daughter.  She has brought people into my life, that otherwise never would be here.  And thus, I'm grateful to her.

As a society we struggle to make real personal connections.  Once I had E, I felt even more removed from real people than ever before.  Now, a year after returning to my full time corporate job, I find myself surrounded by more "real" people, than ever before.  And I could not be more grateful for those people in my life.  And truly, without E, I never would have meet them. 

I became very close to E's first daycare teacher.  E became very close with her as well.  Consequently, per her suggestion, we attended a local farmers market opening day.  And it was a truly wonderful family experience.  It became a regular part of our life last summer.  But every step we have in our life, it starts a path, and this event introduced me to a company called Usborne Books & More, and a local consultant.  Little did I know, this moment would become a defining moment in my life.  I held a home show, and in the weeks after the home show, realized that this consultant was going to become a life long friend.  Through our long conversations about parenting I realized how important literacy and reading was to me.  And I ultimately joined the company as a consultant.  Taking on yet another full time job.  This consultant is not only a friend now, but fondly looked upon by my daughter.  We now have added another family member to our small, but ever growing family network.  And although I have gone from a tired, busy, full time working mother, to a tired, busy twice over full time working parent, that is HAPPY.

But the more that I interacted with people, the more that I wanted to interact with people.  And I found myself searching out more mom's to have in my life.  And I was lucky enough to find another mom with a daughter just a few weeks older than E.  And better yet, we had similar parenting goals, and thoughts and ideas, and lived very close to one another.  So this introduced another family into our life.  And it was wonderful, and as I suppose it's intended to happen, she introduced us to another family.

And so I realized, that around me, the people were growing.  Meeting people begot meeting people!  Funny how that happens.

As I said, a year ago, I was desperate for people in my life.  Like minded people, with similar values, and goals.  And in the past year, I have filled my life and my heart up with these people.  And I am therefore forever grateful for what my daughter has brought me.  Not just the love of a child, and all the wonderful parenting moments.  But more and beyond that.  She has brought me to a place where I am truly happy, grateful, loved, and at peace and proud of who I am.

Gone is the isolation so prevalent in our society today.  And Hello is a world full of possibilities.

So as the snow finally melts away, and the warmer weather begins to surface, I look forward to the return of the Farmer's Market.  To celebrate the beginning of the life that I love.  The people I love.  And the world that I love.

Thank You Baby Girl!