Mother

MOTHER = Female parent; a woman in authority; source, origin; to give birth to

QUESTION: Do you want to give birth to something?

STORY: It was the summer of 1983 when my mom flew from Wisconsin to California to visit me. She probably wanted to make sure I was OK. I was 36 years old, working temp jobs while I also worked as an Art Apprentice to Jan Saether and lived with him and his wife and kids in a big house on Pt. Dume in Malibu, CA. And I was unmarried. Mom was 71 years old and she was also an artist. During her two week visit, we went to local museums and art studios. At one point, I asked if she would be willing to sit for a portrait. Mom did sit very still for at least two hours as I painted this portrait of her.

QUOTES

“A mother’s love for her child is like nothing else in the world. It knows no law, no pity. It dares all things and crushes down remorselessly all that stands in its path.” ~ Agatha Christie

“Being a mother is learning about strengths you didn’t know you had.” ~ Linda Wooten

“We are born of love; love is our mother.” ~ Rumi

“We are either going to have a future where women lead the way to make peace with the Earth or we are not going to have a human future at all.” ~ Vandana Shiva

EXERCISE

STOP.

Relax.

Bring to mind an image of your mother. Any image is fine. Maybe you have strong, visual memories of your mother and maybe you never saw her. No matter what your story of mother is - we all carry something inside us that wants to be born.

Get your pen and paper and write a few words describing something that wants to be born through you. And if you have another minute, draw lines expressing yourself giving birth.