About Me

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I am a mother, a teacher, and a nature lover. I grew up on a mountain we called Owls' Knob in the Ozarks of Arkansas. The first seven years of my life were spent living in a log cabin, far from a store or streetlight, without electricity or running water and after twenty years of travel, I returned to the abondoned homestead. Now I live on a hill by a small lake and work at a public garden. These are stories about nature written from a women deeply influenced by place.

Monday, May 9, 2011

To the devoted mother:

Your mother is the ultimate sacrificial being, giving up her time, life, and even her identity. She was implanted with a journey and given a choice. She chose to let you take over her body completely. As you entered into life, she brushed close to death. While you thrive on her nourishment, she was weakened, sucked dry.
Your mother recovered after you ripped her apart, only to become your slave. You replaced her life with yours. She wiped your poopy butt even as you tried to kick her in the face. Instead of eating, she put spoonful's of food in your mouth only to have you spit it back out at her and then finger paint with it. When you woke her up in the middle of the night she sung you to sleep. Often when you cried and she didn't know what to do, she wanted to scream, but instead she comforted you
You were cute for years, a perfect image of your mother who you stayed so close to. Then you became yourself, established your own identity, and left her behind. You called her names and rolled your eyes behind her back. Nothing she had ever done or could ever do would make up for her un-coolness. Besides, you knew everything and could do just fine on your own.  So as you flourished without her and didn’t find time for her, she didn’t remorse but beamed with pride.
Then you had a baby, and as you gazed into those baby blues and felt those tiny fingers rap around yours, you understood not only the sacrifice of the mother, but also the pure undying joy! All of sudden you understood all your mother had done for you. But words and flowers could not make up of for all those years. So instead, you gave up your time, life, and even your identity, and you became the ultimate sacrificial being, you became a mother. 

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