Dear Mother Who Once Dreamed

Dear Mother Who Once Dreamed,

When baby girl arrived, life changed forever, and in the best way! Yet, I’m seven weeks into motherhood, and already find myself asking, “Who the heck am I anymore?” I feed the baby, I change the baby and I repeat…over and over and over again. Don’t get me wrong. “Mom” is a new part of my identity—and a badge of honor that I beam with pride to wear.

–Heck ya, I’m a mom—

But…that’s not all I am.

Before becoming a mother, I was a wife, a daughter, a sister and a friend. I was a woman endowed with fierce passions and unique abilities. I had hobbies. (I remember them, kind of).

On top of that, I was a dreamer.

But once child rearing was added to my repertoire, that thing I used to know called “free time” dwindled—and so did its companion, “rest.” And before I knew it, my dreams felt like they came with an expiration date.

Are they still God’s plan for me? Are my dreams even attainable anymore? Are my children my prime purpose in life now?

 … Yes? No? Maybe? …

So I had a little talk with God and was reminded that I didn’t have to choose between the legacy of motherhood and accomplishing my individual birthright.  Because while parenting is indisputably one of our most important jobs in life, it’s not our only job. We aren’t just made for motherhood — we are made to say “yes and amen” to all the sparks of life that God has placed within us.

As much as in anything, it’s easy to lose one’s identity in motherhood. It’s a strange phenomenon, really. On one hand, it feels as if we’ve gained the whole world in our tiny human, yet at the same time, it can sort of feel like we’ve lost a part of ourselves. And while our children keep us tremendously busy, they also require us to slow down. The responsibilities and phases of a mother are ever changing, but one thing is certain: They all involve great love, sacrifice and selflessness, whether it’s mom the taxi-driver, the cook, or the caregiver. Mom the counselor, the cheerleader or the prayer warrior. You wear lots of hats, mom.

And though it may feel at times like your purpose resides in all you do and are as a mother, never forget that it’s OK to be mom the dreamer.