It’s not easy to get up and read a personal story about your post-baby marriage breakdown in front of a group of strangers. But that is what I regularly ask my writing students to do. Bare your soul on a piece of paper and then read it out loud. I give them topics and a time limit and they come back (mostly beginner writers) looking sheepish and scared. They always start off with a disclaimer: “I don’t really like this, but…” or “I didn’t really know what to say, but…”. Always, the stories are interesting. Always, the group of strangers becomes friends.
It’s amazing what sharing your personal stories can do to transform your confidence and your connections with other moms. Here’s a short-list of benefits to baring your soul:
We often hide from the truth, pretend everything is fine, believe we can manage. But motherhood is hard, and sharing our stories can help us connect and feel less isolated and alone.
On a recent summer evening, I was putting my five year-old daughter to sleep when she suddenly turned to me and said:
“When I grow up, I don’t want to be a mom.”
“Really,” I replied. “Why?”
“Because it’s too much work.”
Laughing to myself, I vowed to write this one down. This was a conversation I wanted to remember. But I fell asleep and forgot all about it. Until now.
We all have those moments as mothers—precious, challenging, earth shattering—and by writing them down, we make them into unforgettable memories. When you’re feeling nostalgic, you can go back through your notebook and remember. When your child asks you what they were like when they were two, you can read them a snippet of conversation, or share a funny story.
It’s probably safe to say most mothers want a written record of their journey through motherhood, but there are many obstacles on the path that can prevent you from getting started. Here’s a short list of how to overcome those obstacles.
Keeping your family memories alive does not have to be time-consuming, but it does require some discipline.
Comments
Keeping a journal is such a great idea and so easy to do. I am already starting to forget key milestone dates and my kids are only 4.