Motherhood… A Common Thread
By Veronica O'Grady
Veronica wrote the following in 1998. It received second place in a Blue Mountain poetry contest soon after.
I am a mother.
We are united you and I,
Not by language,
for we speak in different tongues.
Not by religion,
for our cultures are different as well.
No, we are united in diapers
feeding and burping, comforting and soothing.
We are united in guiding, holding hands,
shooing away fears and inspiring dreams…
and in learning to step back to give them room to grow.
I am a mother.
And although I do not know you,
Our hearts share a common thread.
As our children grow and venture out
to find their place in this world,
our challenges and treasures
may not be the same.
But something deeper is—
I am a mother, and so are you.
And for all the sleepless nights
frustrating days, chaos, fears,
and near insanity…
I am selfish.
because it’s those unexpected moments
of sheer purity of being
that catch me by surprise
And send awe and gratitude
rippling through to my soul.
