Becoming a Mother

BECOMING A MOTHER

Now I’m a mom. As we head into this lifelong journey, May I remember not to miss the way. There’s no one single way to make this journey. There’s no one single way to be a mom. I hope that I will listen to myself, even if I’ll make mistakes, even if I won’t be the perfect mom. It’s OK. We will both learn together to be a mom and a child. Help me remember that this time will not return. Let me not miss the journey. Let me not rush. Let me enjoy the now without anticipating next steps. Let me enjoy not‑knowing. Let me enjoy the mystery and the wonder of a path unfolding. May I let go of fear and worry. I have what it takes to be a wonderful mother. I know how to love. May I remember that my little one will ultimately make personal choices, about whom to be and how to be in the world, as I had, when I suddenly became an adult, and am now a mother. So may I savor the moments and not hurry through them.

— Lihi Lapid, Tel Aviv, Israel