What is Motherhood?
Motherhood is a new kind of love. It’s the best kind of love. The ancient Greeks categorize love into eight different types, Agape, Eros, Ludus, Mania, Phila, Philautia, Pragma, and Storge
Becoming a mother awakens this newfound love and is expressed in a combination of three of the eight kinds of love, Storge, Agape, and Philia (1).
What is the Purpose of Motherhood?
Motherhood is a life stage that forever changes you; it causes you to stretch, to grow to expand your capabilities. Motherhood makes you a better person, even though it may not always seem so. Motherhood is one of many fantastic life purposes on this earth, and it teaches us the following values at an entirely new level:
- Patience
- Organization
- Kindness
- Creativity
- Open-mindedness
- Self-awareness
Motherhood the most important job that there is. It gives life an entirely new meaning by becoming responsible for the life of another human being. As mothers, you create their life experiences and demonstrate behaviors, attitudes, biases, love, and so much more for your little ones.
Motherhood the world wide club
It is incredible once you realize that you’ve gained instant access to the world wide club of motherhood. Everyone thinks they know what it will be like because they have or had parents or have friends, family, co-workers who are parents. Like everything else, you don’t know what it’s like until you experience it for yourself.
One of the perks is that I have had so many strangers help me when I’m struggling to open a door, getting the stroller over a curb, or drop a shoe at the grocery store.
True story
Baby and I out and about one morning where there were lots of little ones running around. We were seated along the back wall so that baby could crawl around and see the other kiddos. We sat down to have some milk, and as soon as she finished, she projectile vomited everywhere. Before I could even get up, a petite blonde woman in a pressed Sunday dress comes over with a pack of baby wipes and starts cleaning up my child’s vomit.
I was astounded and was saying, “Oh my gosh, thank you so much, please let me do this.” She smiled, ignoring me, continuing to clean up the mess as she said, “I’ve been there.” After I thanked her for the 100th time, she walked back over to her husband and three children to take her seat. Amazing.
Motherhood is a huge undertaking. It’s moments like these when I understand the saying, “It takes a village” to raise a child. We need each other. I am so grateful for the many strangers who lend a helping hand. I hope to pay it forward as often as I can.
If you’re a new mama or expecting, say hello! I find myself saying to “Congrats, it’s the best love!” to newly announced mamas-to-be on Instagram or social media.
Motherhood is Empowering
Thank goodness for this love! Motherhood is like holding up a mirror with a magnifying glass. You suddenly become deeply aware of who you are intimately, embracing the beautiful parts, warts and all. There is no hiding but instead embracing the sacredness of the gift of life and the miracle that the female body can create.
Keeping that in mind, motherhood is choosing to be the best version of yourself every day. Being a mom requires that you take time for self-care. The better you are as a person, the better a mother you’re able to be. Carving out “me-time” can be challenging, especially when you’re exhausted, depleted, stressed, or dealing with a pandemic. The most trying times are when it’s most needed.
Motherhood doesn’t only affect mothers; it also develops fathers, partners, and couples in a way that nothing else can. When I was working at a wine bar in California back in my mid-twenties, I noticed that there seemed to be a different look or dynamic about couples who have children versus couples who didn’t. The couples who were children-free seemed less stressed with more of a carefree look and feel to them.
The couples who had children had a look to them that showed that they’d been pushed, challenged, and blessed in ways that you could not be otherwise without children. Children can strengthen marriages, or they can wreak havoc. It undoubtedly depends on the relationship beforehand. You either get the good with the bad, or you get nothing at all.
While raising little ones is worth it, the growing pains can be intense. And keeping a marriage healthy and alive with kids is much harder with children than without little ones in the picture. Kids repeat, mimic, respond, and retaliate. They are little sponges who soak everything up whether or not they show it outwardly. Motherhood is a great teacher filled with continuous life lessons.
