Mamas Dias

"The cleaning and scrubbing can wait till tomorrow

But children grow up as I've learned to my sorrow.

So quiet down cobwebs; Dust go to sleep!

I'm rocking my baby and babies don't keep."- Ruth Hulburt Hamilton

My mother on the left and her five children

It was mere day's before Mothers Day 2013 when I stumbled upon an exert from this beautiful poem Song for a Fifth Child by Ruth Hulburt Hamilton while cleaning out my grandparents basement.  I read it to myself over and over again.  I read it because it feels I have been so busy these days reorganizing our one and a half bedroom palace apartment- busy with tossing of the old to let in the light and the new. I read it because the poem spoke to me.  It reminded me of my childhood and a philosophy my own mother adopted years prior-"I'd rather be playing with you kids than cleaning up." she'd say in her carefree manner.  I had to show this to her.  It was as if it was written for her.  "Look what I found.  Pop wrote it down in this little book you gave him." I explained. She laughed, as she often does, and said "He copied this from a poem I had hanging up in our home when you kids were growing up."  I loved it!  Of course it came from our home-it made total sense.

You see, I'm one of five.  Yes, five kids!  If you were to ask any of our childhood friends to describe my childhood home "clean" would NEVER be included...lively, for sure, but clean...not so much.  Sometimes it was down right filthy  My mother would say "By baby number 3 I realized I couldn't keep up with it all and made the decision to sit and play.  To enjoy you kids rather than running around in circles cleaning all the time." If truth be told I am, for the most part, grateful for her adopted philosophy.  When I think back to my childhood and my mother in particular I remember her easy going manner where friends were always welcomed & dinner guests a constant.  Even with the chaos that comes with 5 children and their many friends my mother was always unfazed.     

As I celebrated my 3rd Mothers Day this past weekend discovering the poem, Song for a the Fifth Child, was a gift in itself & a gentle reminder to simply stop, enjoy and soak it all in. I'm different from my own mother where I thrive with some kind of order.  But have learned from her that mothering is not about being "perfect" it's about being perfectly yourself.   Wishing you all a "Happy Belated Mother's Day!"

Mothers Day 2013 with Papa Bird, Bebe Bird & Me