You know the feeling. You’re thirsty. But you’ve pushed the sensation aside in favour of making school lunches or just one more chapter of a good book. By the time you get around to having a drink you are parched, and find yourself guzzling rather than sipping.
We’ve been working with mothers long enough to know that moms are really, really good at delaying that metaphorical sip of water. We’re good at talking about our desire for self-care, our longing for balance, and the challenges we’re facing, and not always so good at taking steps towards change. The busy nature of family life too often takes precedence, and our needs are set aside.
We got a registration the other day from a mother wanting to join one of our Mama Renew groups. She described her eager anticipation of the group, “My spirit feels like its about to drink a big, needed glass of water.” She captured the essence of Mama Renew perfectly.
Many mothers are doing great things with their free time – yoga classes, book clubs, choirs and more. Each of these has the potential to nurture and inspire, and build a community of support. There’s something different, however, about the Mama Renew journey. When we go beyond sips and take the time to enjoy a long cool class of water, we experience a deeper level of nourishing and growth.
Whether your life right now is crazy full or deliciously slow, we hope you’re taking some great big gulps along the way. Dig deeper, celebrate self-care, create balance, delight in your successes, take risks, live adventures…
© 2009 Mothering Magazine