Gather Together In My Name

I can say with much certainty that many of the women who are in my (off internet) life would not be there were it not for one factor--actually two in my case. These are great women, too. They're diverse--coming from Germany and Brazil, Puerto Rico  and Argentina, Philippines and Hawaii, Chicago and Japan, Wisconsin and California. They're acupuncturists and teachers and photographers and surfers and stay-at-home-moms and doulas and artists. One is even trained to be a doctor in her home country.

They're great and inspirational. We can discuss all things child-related, then, even more; and that's just it. These children we have unite us in ways that our personalities, ideas, practices, introvertedness, and lives in general wouldn't necessarily allow. I'm confident that, were we not mothers and had we not crossed paths  in settings and situations that made such a status evident, we'd maybe smile in passing, extend a casual greeting, and continue on with ourselves and our lives.

And this is OK.

*The title of this blog post is a nod to a memoir by Maya Angelou with the same title, one of my favorite titles in the history of titles.