A Book Launch
Tuesday 3 October was launch night for an anthology of poetry, short stories, and art which I contributed to, and worked to publish, with a local writing group. This post summarises the short speech I gave at the launch event.
A little over 4 years ago, I spent much of my time home alone, with my young son. The demands and responsibilities of parenting took precedence over other things. Being a mother can be an isolating experience at any stage of the mother, or child’s life. I found that – almost overnight – I went from being someone in my own right, to becoming someone else’s mother. I was grateful to have the opportunity to be a mother, but had a missing sense of personal identity.
As regular readers will know, my child is like me, he loves being outside. When he was old enough, we used to go to Lower Shaw Farm together to take part in Welly Wednesdays. An opportunity to spend time in nature, help with the animals, climb, build, create … And at one of those sessions, I heard about Mum’s The Word. A writing group for mothers; I was intrigued. I’m not the most social person, but at the time, I still felt disconnected from peopling. And writing was one of my first loves. In fact, I wrote and illustrated my first book when I was six. It was about insects, and my father bound it with comb binding, and added a cardboard cover. So, a group of people with a common interest – writing, and a common bond – some form of motherhood … it was surely worth a try.
Turning up to my first meeting might not sound much. But it took a great deal of courage to push out of my comfort zone. I would be in a room with people I didn’t know. And no child to use as distraction. I arrived hoping to find a space to write. Four years, or so later, I’m still part of the group. I found the writing space, the writers, the poets, the creatives. I also found friendship. Camaraderie. When I was ill earlier this year and missed several sessions, the group kept me updated. Involved. One of them even visited me at home to check in. When I was ready to return, they welcomed me back without any fuss. Just friends, pleased to see me again.
On the face of it, the group is about writing. About sharing ideas, about supporting one and other, celebrating success, aiming for the next publication. It’s also about friends. About feeling included. No matter background, experience (writing, or otherwise), the age of members’ child or children. It’s about women finding themselves again. Breaking free from the constraints which society continues to impose on mothers. I’m still my son’s mother, but in the ‘Mum’s The Word’ group I am also myself.
