I rode the lift 20-something floors yesterday with a woman who complained the whole way about being a mumma. The lift was full of people. She complained loudly.
So many things went through my mind during that seemingly endless ride.
Everyone has bad days, I get that. But it seemed as if this wasn’t even a case of just having a bad day. This woman was genuinely put out that she’d had to do things for her family. Like get them ready for school, read with them and make their lunches. And in that small space of time, I found out that the children weren’t even old enough to make their own lunches.
Just when I thought lift woman’s soliloquy couldn’t get any worse, she leaned over, grabbed the arm of the woman she was talking at (yes, talking at, not with) and congratulated the woman for not having children! The woman on the receiving end of that comment just looked at her.
I wondered if the woman being congratulated had ever wanted to be a mumma? Or was trying to become a mumma? Or had genuinely made the decision to never have children? Whatever the case, she looked flummoxed.
The lift arrived (finally – had it really been only 20 seconds or so or had we been stuck in a space-time continuum for what seemed like hours?) and the complaining woman made her exit from the lift. But not before turning back and making some inane comment at the childless woman.
As the doors closed, the collective sigh of relief was audible.
I know that maybe everyone is not as utterly blissed out about being a mumma as I am. I get that I am relatively new to this mumma gig. I understand that I’m probably going to have bad days and wish I didn’t have to do lots of little things.
But being a mumma is not one of those things I’m ever going to wish I didn’t have to do.
Being a mumma for me includes all of the cuddles, love, playing and fun times, but it is also all about doing things for my Bubba. I think I have a good grasp of that, but this lift conversation will stay with me for a long time – and if I’m ever having a bad day, or wishing I didn’t have to do the little things, I will always know this:
I am forever grateful to have been given the gift of being Bubba’s mumma.
bumpyroadtobubba 
You are such a beautiful soul. x
You are a wonderful mumma!!! As for that woman… my words to her would have been… “you know lady how would you feel if you lost one of those children? I can tell you about that and if you did you would never complain about your family again”…… We all have our bad days.. and I have my days when I get annoyed but its a sad thing for people not to realize how blessed they are until they do loose someone they love…. sorry, do not mean to rant.. but grrrrrrrrrr….. you know what I mean.. 🙂
You do a great job with Bubba and God blessed both you and Bubba and Bella and Beary with the presence and love of each other…. Great post and doesnt it make you feel good that you appreciate every moment you have with Bubba? Keep up the great posts and being a great mumma!
Your friends,
the collies and chuck 🙂
I think it is sad that the lady has lost (or never had) the joy of motherhood 😦
Absolutely.
For some people their children are the next accessory and then they get them and it’s more emotionally/physically/mentally draining than they can cope with. Sucks for them and their kids – and other people in the same elevator.