Comparison:
Which is why I have come to think of us, not as a ‘supermom’, but as an aircraft carrier.
. . . My four children, still school age at the time, were like these jets that would fly off to do their things, to go school, to their events, to hang out with their friends, to play sports…..and then they would return, tired, worn out, hungry, ready to unload some stuff.
And I realized, I was an aircraft carrier. That they would take off, then return home, quite literally at times, to dump their stuff, refuel, tune up, get what they need, so that they could fly off again.
Stay steady, I thought. Keep the focus, an eye on the horizon.
It felt that my job was to stay steady on turbulent seas when everything around them was changing, when nothing felt familiar, when new people suddenly appeared, when the familiar fell away. To stay steady, when the seas were smooth. To keep the lights on, always visible.
The job was never to be supermom, it was to be the aircraft carrier for our children, on ever changing seas.
Sometimes the seas are like glass, and sometimes they throw you so hard. The goal is to be steady, no matter the turbulence, no matter the ease.
So this Mother’s Day, yes, I know, there are those ‘supermom’ moments, but here’s to the aircraft carriers out there, the ones who are forever and always a steady landing place for their kids, no matter what the conditions are.
I hope that you can find time to pull yourself in to shore, so that all you’ve supported, the beatings you’ve taken, can be taken care of, too. And, if you have hands around you to help repair the battered, tired, worn out places, the kind and gentle hands of your loved ones, your friends and family, let them help you.
Robyn O'Brien steps boldly forward in a Mother's Day post on her blog to set the record straight about frequently hailing Moms as "Supermom" especially around Mother's Day. O'Brien aptly, ably, and adroitly uses various aspects of planes and aircraft carriers to capture the heart of a Mom's responsibility and essence--especially with kids. She nicely also turns the comparison elements and refocuses on an aircraft carrier in dock for repair and refurbishment. Ahoy! Thanks for rocking the boat on Mother's Day designations.
Context:
And yet, every day, our feet would hit the floor, every morning, in an effort to stabilize things for our children.
Which is why I have come to think of us, not as a ‘supermom’, but as an aircraft carrier.
Citation:
O’Brien, Robyn. “Burying ‘Supermom’ to Become the Aircraft Carrier.” robynobrien.com, 13 May 2023. Web.
Wow!