La chose que j'aime…c'est que ma fille m'admire
My daughter brought home a binder from school today. It’s a review of what they’ve been doing in class and on the very first page is a question for the parents. “What did you like about what you’ve seen?” So I sat down and went through it and I stopped and smiled. My chest was full of pride and right now I have water in my eyes.
What I read was an essay that she had done in Class. Who do you admire? The students could write about singers, movie stars anyone that inspired them. Some kids picked singers, actors and all kinds of celebrities – and why not? However my daughter wrote, “J’admire…Amy McNaughton.” As I read on I knew that my daughter is seeing me through different eyes. There’s so many incredible people in Meagan’s life and she could have picked any one of them but she didn’t. She picked me. I wonder as I sit here writing if it has anything to do with the fact that she can see me as, “Amy McNaughton” and not only as ”Mom?”
I’ve had many conversations with people because I have given her an opportunity to call me by name. “It’s shocking, it just isn’t right, she has no respect for you by calling you by your name?” Hmmm, In-fact it’s quite the opposite. Not only does she respect who I am, she respects different aspects of who I am. As her mom, as a business woman and as a friend. She’s able to see me in so many ways and realizes that I’m still one person. I don’t change the way that I speak when I talk with her, my husband or my clients.
What if we were to open up and be seen for who we are instead of all the limiting labels that we wear and seem to enjoy wearing? I’m more than proud to be Meagan’s mother and when we go out, I’m equally proud when she says I’m her best friend. I know that when I was eleven, my mother wasn’t my best friend and that’s o.k. however it is quite an experience when you hear it from your daughter’s mouth.
It’s quite interesting - why should others be offended when my daughter calls me Amy when I’m not offended? Ya know I call Meagan by her name too, I don’t call her ‘daughter.’ Why do we get so hung up on names, titles, positions. None of those things are what define who we are in our lives.
Whether it’s family, work, surveys-no matter what we do there’s someone or something there to try and have us ‘fit’ into a box of what some call “Normal”. I get annoyed with these surveys that make me choose whether I’m Mrs. – Miss – Ms – Dr. and it goes on. Why can’t I be ‘Amy?’ It’s bloody well ridiculous. Then there’s work. full-time, part-time, casual etc. We’re brought up knowing that with each of these ‘labels’ there’s a certain way that is acceptable to do things and a certain way that isn’t. Isn’t it a shame that we get recognized for ‘what’ we are rather than ‘who’ we are in the world. Do we make a difference in other’s lives just because we’re being ourselves? Or does the impact that we have on other’s have to do with our title or position? And better yet. How do we see ourselves? Are we defined by our position and titles?
Remembering Who We Are may be our biggest challenge yet.
Letting Go Of The Past AND…Growing Forward
Amy
