Choose Your Posture

After getting my three older kids off to school, my youngest and I take a daily trip to a local park.  This morning, we went to a park with a beloved history, as it is in the neighborhood where we previously lived.  The park itself is relatively unassuming.  A city park, set in a small neighborhood, with two small play structures, a few swings, and a pavilion with a picnic table.  Simple and fun. 

 This morning, Charlotte (my 4-yr-old) and I were both swinging.  I looked over at her, upside down on the swing—hair dragging the woodchips below, feet wrapped in the chains to hold on, bottom in the air… and saw how different that was from my traditional bottom-in-swing posture.  And guess what I realized?  Both of us were still swinging… just in our own way.  We were essentially accomplishing the same task, simply in a way that felt right for us each.  Neither was trying to convince the other to swing another way.  Both were content, and enjoying each other… perhaps even a little curious about the other. 

 What if we could do motherhood in a way that we feel is best for our family, in our situation… and enjoy the time journeying alongside one another?  This is what Redefined Motherhood is all about.  Doing motherhood your own way, with curiosity towards others, rather than judgement.  It’s about remaining connected to yourself… your intuition… the nudging of the Holy Spirit… instead of blindly following the pack.  It’s about giving yourself… and others… grace.  It’s about considering your season of life… of motherhood… and giving yourself permission to BE in that season… with all of its simultaneous hardships and joys.  It’s about finding your identity, and leaning in as you blaze your own path!  I hope that you find this space to be encouraging as you choose your posture of motherhood… upside-down… bottom-in-swing… or anything in between.

Photo credit: @paige_muller