The Vulnerability of Mothering

My life, like that of others, is a full-spectrum experience--from joy and success to grief and worry. I have been thinking, this week especially, of the vulnerability inherent in mothering. When a child is born or joins a family through adoption, the magnitude of responsibility accepted by a parent is immense. When those parents live privileged lives by virtue of socioeconomic status, membership in the cultural majority, and so on, they are able to fulfill those responsibilities with less challenge. When they live less privileged lives, the challenges may be great--or insurmountable. It really does take a village to raise a child. Without that village, mothers and fathers may be able to do nothing about accessing medical care, clean water, food, and educational resources for their children. If those who are over-privileged do not share that wealth and privilege, all the world's children suffer. When the policies and practices of one nation have the power to impact the lives of families half a world away, our village becomes global. Because of this reality, each of us has a responsibilty for the well being of the world's children. And, while we can only do so much, we can do something, somehow, somewhere, sometime to help.

Food for thought: White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Backpack
by Peggy McIntosh at http://www.uakron.edu/centers/conflict/docs/whitepriv.pdf

Cynthia Good Mojab
Director, LifeCircle Counseling and Consulting, LLC
www.lifecirclecc.com