Rite of passage 1.Anthropology. a ceremony performed to facilitate or mark a person's change of status upon any of several highly important occasions, as at the onset of puberty or upon entry into marriage or into a clan.2.any important act or event that serves to mark a passage from one stage of life to another. Write about a rite of passage. It can be your own experience or someone else's. It can be an event that you're anticipating, or one you're anticipating for your child. It can be a long forgotten memory, a touching ancedote, or a funny story.There are so many many rites of passage in this life - your first kiss, learning to ride without training wheels, noticing your first gray hair, standing up to your Mom as an adult, cooking for the new inlaws for the first time.... Think about it, and have fun writing!
Rites of passages fill me with dread. In all my anthropology courses, I read about someone getting maimed in some form or another during these 'rites'. And even more scary, it's about CHANGE, going from one part of your life to the next, even when you were fine and dandy in your life to begin with. I wasn't too keen on starting any of the new phases of my life. My dad even moved to New York when I was a freshman in college because he knew I wouldn't move out (whose Dad moves out because his kid won't?). I did get my degree, but I didn't really want to finish, I just happened to have enough English classes that they booted me out with a degree. Marriage was very important to me but it was a stabilizing force in my life; an anchor, less a passage into a new life and more a desperate need to be brought to earth. Frankly, I can say that having children was about the only 'rite' that didn't fill me with dread, the thought of raising them, although terrifying was exciting, an adventure, a life worth living. The pregnancy was wonderful, even though I was sick every day for the full nine months; knowing these fantastic beings were being nourished by me and growing into the perfect little baby boys that they became was overwhelmingly wonderful. And, OH MY GOSH, when I first looked into their eyes and I KNEW (don't try and convince me otherwise) that they knew I was their mother and they were 'saying' in their first glance at me, "thank you mom, it's so good to meet you" and the pain, and everything else was gone by staring into those lovely eyes and my glance to them said 'you are loved with my whole being' and they knew that (again you can't convince me otherwise). It's been a wild ride, but the rite of passage into motherhood is one of great wonder and joy and I'm very happy to have gone through that.
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2 comments:
Wow, Trac . . . I don't think I knew you were such a thoughtful writer. And this, after all these years of keeping in touch via email. I remember meeting you for the first time . . . you were pregnant with Jake then. :) Love you . . . keep writing. tjw
Your words brought tears to my eyes. I found your blog through the SS board - I do the challenges too but I didn't want to do this one for many of the reasons you listed.
I love what your wrote about your babies.
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