Monday, January 09, 2006

On Mary and On Mothering.

A priest friend loaned me the book "Hail Holy Queen" by Scott Hahn.

I spent several hours today at the doctors, waiting for tests and test results.

This was a perfect time for me to read Scott Hahn's book about Mary, the mother of Jesus.

A good time to reflect on mothering, as we celebrated the Ephiphany yesterday, the coming of the wise men to honour the child Jesus, cared for by his mother.

A good time to reflect on mothering and on the Holy Family of Mary, Joseph and Jesus, as we come to the close of the Christmas season.

A good time to reflect on mothering, as we re-adjust to living life without our older three sons, to livng as a small-ish family of four sons and two parents.

Scott Hahn writes:

"Mothers are the most difficult people to study. They elude our scrutiny. By nature and by definition, they are relational. They can be considered as mothers only in their relationship with their children. That is where they focus their attention, and that is where they would focus ours."

I know that mothering *is all about relationship. I experience this daily.

And this is what I try to share day in, day out - my relationship with God, with my dh, with others, with my sons.

We listened to some Carly Simon in the car today, on our way to the medical appointments. And we got to talking about the lyrics of "You're So Vain."

As Thomas pointed out, if you knew Carly Simon and wondered if the song was about you - would you admit it?

In admitting it, wouldn't you be admitting that the song was true - you *are so vain that you probably think this song is about you!

I talked about how many people felt that this song was about the actor Warren Beatty.

Was he that vain, one son wondered.

Where was his mother, another asked. For surely mothers, of all people, are the one who would point out the fault of vanity?

As Scott Hahn said, mothers are mysterious and relational.

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