Coloring of Motherhood

The Coloring of Motherhood

By Leah Garner

We recognize the outline.

The actions and movements seem familiar.

Seen from afar, or under a microscope of scrutiny

The emotions find empathy inside us,

but perhaps in a different setting.

A glimmer of something we dreamt,

but we cannot quite touch in our waking moments.

And then we cross over into our own motherhood.

Going from the world of instruction and paint by number,

into an expansive palette of colors with the brushes in our hands.

We think back on the Masters we admired and try to follow their strokes.

Our hands hesitate to make a mark like those criticized for their art.

And yet…

With each stroke we find the colors dry different than when first applied.

Sometimes the picture gets more complicated the harder that we try.

Taking a step back helps us see a bigger picture;

appreciate the unique colors for what they are.

We see our child.

And our children hold brushes too,

Painting the strokes that make the mother that is you.