I'm a Wimpy Mother

You hear this from almost the minute your baby’s born: “Enjoy every moment because before you know it, they will be grown and gone.” I used to hate hearing that when my kids were little. It was almost always well-intentioned older ladies who would utter those words. Yet even then I was sure that they were speaking from personal experience, and I understood the painful truth; I just didn’t want the reminder. As much as I tried to avoid thinking about it, the inevitable has come true, and I am now the mother of four adults and three more who will be soon.

Just yesterday, my oldest was building things with Legos; he now lives in Argentina and we only get to see him once or twice a year. The sister he used to tease by misbehaving in the historical plays she would put on with her younger siblings is now in a PhD program six hours away by car. Even though I’ve adjusted to the concept of my kids coming and going since the eldest first went to college more than eight years ago, it still feels unnatural when they say goodbye and leave.

Wild By Cheryl Strayed; Review By Nancy Gillard Doran

Sadly and reluctantly, I just finished reading Wild, a memoir by Cheryl Strayed. I first heard about this book after reading an essay by the author in The Sun magazine. Captivated by the engaging writing style and subject matter (grief over the untimely death of the writer’s mother), I put a hold on the book at the local library. Months later, I finally got notification that the book was mine for the borrowing. I picked it up that same day and then had trouble putting it down until I very slowly turned the last page.

Ms. Strayed was in her early twenties when her mother was diagnosed with terminal cancer. One of three children, the author was the only one who didn’t flee when her mother became ill. In fact, she was almost constantly with her, doing all she could to help. Nothing did help, however, and her mother soon passed. Without her mom, the anchor of the family, the author spiraled into a long period of depression and reckless behavior. She lost contact with her stepfather and siblings. Except for the hapless, kind man she had married too young and couldn’t stay faithful to, and a few friends, she seemed to be dangerously adrift.