The kindness of women
My mum's lovely friend took a jersey I was wearing recently and darned a hole that was growing in the front of it. It's a beautiful, soft, grey cashmere number another generous woman, my aunt, gave me. Sue used two different blues to hide the two little holes. They look beautiful against the grey.
I wore the jersey to the supermarket over the weekend and the woman helping me pack my groceries admired the colours and Sue's gorgeous work. She smiled and chatted while she worked, and I wrangled my rude and demanding children. She kept smiling as I groped in my bag for my wallet, my card got declined, I dropped my keys, I took forever on my phone trying to transfer money... she loaded my trolley and she picked up my keys.
The next day was Mother’s Day and my kids swarmed me while I was in bed, giving me sloppy hugs and screwed up cards.
Then they left and I was in the quiet thinking about the day. What came to mind was kindness. The kindness of women and how we show it to each other. Sometimes it’s through acts. Like Sue and her darning. Or gifts, like my Aunt. But often it’s about solidarity and understanding and holding each other up - like the woman at the supermarket. These are all pieces of what mothering and motherhood is.
I don’t think women need to be mothers to show acts of motherhood. It’s about our community and our love for each other, and our quiet bond which shows itself in many little ways.
So thank you to all the women who have stood by me through my life. I don’t think I would be me without you.