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Happy Mother's Day 2024!

In one of my blogs posts I had posted a while back, I had referred to myself as "just a mom." One of my friends pointed it out and said, what do you mean by you are "just a mom? Do you realize what all the things you have accomplished or done to raise three beautiful, kind children? 
How can you say that you are just a mom?"

Until then, I had not realized the weight of those words, the negative impact of my own words, on my own psyche, my mental health, belittling myself and reducing my worth to "just." I was downplaying my role, always had. Not until he pointed it out, did I reflect on the fact how demeaning it was, how I had reduced the time and energy I had poured into raising my three children, the countless sleepless hours  and being available to them as a default parent to "nothing", and summed it into the 3 words, "just a mom", and had labeled myself as a "just".

Being a mom is not the title of a job. I was looking through the wrong lens the whole time, undermining myself. I wore many hats, those of  both mom and dad, a teacher, a chauffeur, a nurse, their cheerleader and above all that of a chef. ( If you didn't already know, I hate cooking) The journey had joys and tears; there was love and heartbreaks, there was nurturing, nourishing, teaching them values, right from wrong, kindness and empathy. And above all it carried the weight of being available, on call 24 x 7. I had to change the perspective, the whole outlook about myself. I was not a "just", I was more than that. Here I would like to quote Linda Wooten," being a mother is learning about strength you did not know you had and dealing with fears you did not know existed."

So, to all my fellow moms who are feeling like they are a "just", I would like to remind you that you are way more than that. You are shaping lives, molding characters, and making an impact. Embrace it, honor it, and celebrate it. I will leave you with the thought I read somewhere," it does not matter what other people think about you, what matters is what you think about yourself." Change that outlook. we are mothers. We are extraordinary.


I found this poem by Jessica  Urlichs, "Not Just."

You are not ‘just’ anything Not just a woman Or just a friendA wife, A partner Or just a mother You are a universeMade up of waves that brought life Stars that hold dreams, Landscapes of homeRocks that will crumble but will always remain The winds gentle sway, and strongest roar You are someone’s ‘all’ And ‘all’ is not lost You are a mother But never, just.

Happy mother's day to all of you !

Here is the link to my blog from several years ago where I had undermined myself by saying that I was "Just a Mom." I went back and highlighted those words. Do not let anyone tell you that you are a JUST, you are anything but that. 

 

 https://www.rekhasrambling.com/2016/07/fire-in-my-soul.html

And while scrolling my own blogs, I found another one where I was referring to myself as "just a mom". 

https://www.rekhasrambling.com/2023/08/ask-and-you-shall-receive.html












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