The Mothering Job

© Marian N. Kehrley

I watched my Mom fill out an application.
I looked at the line that asks about past professions.
I thought to myself, that space is too small
To write down what she’s been, to cover it all.
She was a nurse when I fell and scraped my knee.
She was a maid when I didn’t wipe my feet.
She was a designer when my clothes didn’t match.
She was a tailor when my pants needed a patch.
She was a teacher when I asked a question.
She was a priest when I had a confession.
She was a psychiatrist when I came home crying.
She was a preacher when I got caught lying.
She was a singer when she sung me to sleep.
She was a lifeguard when she said the water’s too deep.
There are many more, yet the best one to me,
She was a best friend and mine forever she’ll be.

—

The dictionary defines a mother to be “a woman in relation to her children or child” but here at Bonnie’s, we know a mother to be so much more.

Working at Bonnie’s we are working with Mothers that have gone through some of the worst experiences including domestic and family violence, homelessness, grief and loss and sometimes impacted by mental health.

A mother is a protector, disciplinarian and a friend. A mother is selfless and loving, who sacrifices many of their wants and needs for the wants and needs of their children. A mother works hard to make sure their child is equipped with knowledge, skills and abilities.

The women that we meet at Bonnie’s provide their children with unconditional love. They provide safety and security so that their children know that what they have experienced in the past, does not have to be their future.

The mothers at Bonnie’s are strong, they are empowered, and they want nothing but the best for themselves and their children. They know that they do not have to walk this journey alone, that there are other women, other mothers out there to support them when they feel that no one has their back.

Written by Leah, photo by North Central Church