The Official Painfully Obvious Statement
Leaving the house, little two-legs? Not without your PANTS PASS!
My newest book project for Advent 2012:
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Check out Hallie Lord’s excellent book, inclucing my chapter on motherhood
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Bl. John Paul was using the word “genius” in an archaic sense: a sort of attendant spirit.
I know, but I was talking about how it sounds.
Interesting article, Simcha. As a single woman with no children I find it a little daunting that part of my Christian vocation is spiritual motherhood. How do I live this out when I don’t see myself as a particularly nurturing person?? Or am I doing it now but haven’t thought if it as motherhood?
Just to focus on life inside the Church, perhaps I live it out through my involvement in our RCIA program by assisting (nurturing?) those interested in the faith. Perhaps through my prayers for our priest and bishop (our spiritual fathers) and fellow Christians (my spiritual family).
We definitely need women providing spiritual motherhood in our parishes. And not just for young mothers. There are adult converts in need of sponsors. High school and college age girls have need of women to help them develop a mature, adult faith and to help them discover areas of service within (or outside of) the Church. We need women praying for and encouraging our young people who are discerning vocations to the priesthood and religious life. Etc. etc.
I’m not sure I’ve explored this enough to have a cogent opinion, but I find motherhood is more about dying to oneself than anything else I do or FEEL. Good night, if I’m judged on how I feel, then I guess I’ll be in hell. If I spend my time training my children to treat others with compassion, to speak respectfully and to honor the created world as a work of God, that’s something because they will carry that out in the world. So, in a way I am nurturing the world through my children. As for before kids life, I always was sensitive to the needy, so I might be covered there, but I’m not sure. There is so much to motherhood it is hard to imagine mastering any of it. I feel more as a jack-of-all-trades, master-of-none!
Call me Mary Poppins or Maria if you will, but I have an almost visceral calling to motherhood. I’ve never been pregnant, but I have been a teacher, camp counselor, group leader, nanny, babysitter, music director, swimming instructor, drill team leader, care giver, substitute teacher, chaperone, coach, sponsor, tutor, tween chauffeur (a role played when children are too old for a babysitter but can’t get to their activities on their own), and am now a step-mom-to-be. I know that every woman is called to mother hood. I know many women who just should NOT have children, and don’t do well with the children of others. For me, however, it’s something I do as naturally as I breathe. That doesn’t mean I haven’t been frustrated or lost my temper (I’m human). It does mean that it’s what I’m meant to do.
https://nunspeak.wordpress.com/2011/06/16/about-spiritual-motherhood/
Did you see?