Sum of all

Imagine if you stopped and saw yourself each day.

And I don’t just mean in the mirror.

Imagine if you stepped outside of yourself, stood to the side and watched everything you actually do

for a day.

Can you?

Because I’m sure you will see things you don’t allow yourself to in the “busy”ness of every day.

I’m sure you will be in awe of what you do achieve.

I’m sure you will stop telling your partner “I did nothing today”.

Because what you will see is a mother doing one hundred things at once.

She’s folding washing, while taking calls.

She’s reading a book to her toddler, while breastfeeding her baby.

She’s making lunch, while sterilising bottles.

She’s wearing so many different hats all at once and somehow, she makes them fit.

Can you see?

And this is only the physical side of things.

When you watch her, don’t forget about everything else swirling around in her head while she’s doing

everything.

The lists that never get finished.

The overthinking and questioning.

The preparation of the next meal, the next need, the next time she will get spare minute to do

everything she’s needed to since the moment she woke up.

It’s hard to tell though, isn’t it?

She wears a smile over her overwhelm, more so than she realises.

Their contentment is her priority.

And they are so content, aren’t they?

You can hear them laugh.

They cuddle her often.

They follow her everywhere she goes.

Because she is their world.

She keeps them spinning.

And relatively speaking, for someone with this much going on, she looks like she has things under

control, doesn't she?

You may even say she makes it look easy.

But you know it’s not.

We all know it’s not.

Carrying children while doing other things comes naturally. But it doesn’t mean, it’s easy.

Thinking for others on top of yourself is automatic, but it doesn’t mean there's always room.

Two hands are what we have, but only one can be used a lot of the time.

There is only one of us, but some days it feels like one isn’t enough.

I know you know, because you are her.

You walk in her shoes every day.

So, Mama, don’t forget to see things from the outside sometimes.

You are doing so much.

You are more than enough.

You are the sum of all.

*Written by Emma Heaphy for Mumli