When I was single till when I got married but had no strings attached, I had little interest in children or the mundane topics about children. I seldom engaged in conversations about them. I avoid moms "at all cost" because to me, their only interest is in children and they are boring. I also found it a social conspiracy for the parents camp. My theory was it was all but a hoax to attract more folks into the camp. Parenthood is so damn hard and sacrificing that they simply paint a rosy picture of it and continue to sell it to others to suck them into the circle and suffer as well.
Until now... I am part of this conspiracy.
We had two book club meetings. Choosing which books to read is beside the point. The fact that all these women, all mothers of two or more children, most of them still working and some at very high power jobs such as the CFO of an international communication company, loved being able to go away from their husbands, sipping a glass of pinot grigio, chatting and laughing, stealing a moment away from their household chores to have a little fun themselves.
Being a first time mom, I was embraced by all of them. I am the young one to the club. They gave me unsolicited mommy advice, which I despised in the past but now eagerly listened to. I felt a keen sense of comradery among these moms. I am now one of those women who yap non-stop about mundane things and get emotional at the thought of leaving my baby and heading back to work. They listened and understood me. The empathy and knowing without me explaining myself is enough to make me feel included. It's the strangest thing. It's as if any moms, anywhere, any race, any nationality, could form a front, that could shoulder the world's weight and shelter each other. The kinship is unconditional and warming. I see their paths into motherhood, maturing as they are now. Maria said she pumped for eight months after going back to work. To keep the supply up, she pumped on airplanes, airport restrooms during business trips... I see strength and commitment in these women and I feel encouraged. It's a whirlwind tirp being tossed into motherhood. I thought I'd never be ready. Now that I am a mom, I have a long way to go but I do not flinch any more.
