Me
Angela Garbes writes in Essential Labor: Mothering as Social Change that, “Mothering is sensual—endemic to the body and bringing both profound joy and fulfillment. It cultivates and nurtures a life force and essence. It is labor that can bestow a primal sense of satisfaction to those who are mothered and caregivers alike” (edited for inclusion).
I have four children in a blended family with a 17 year span between my oldest and youngest. The tension of supporting my art and writing practice against lingering domestic work in my home is a constant. I know I am not alone.
In recognizing the need to see labor, we recognize the need to see shared caregiving experiences, however different these are. It is this desire to have community around a similar idea, feeling, and need that I extended this exploration to others.
May we cultivate and nurture each other. May we share light and be seen.
xo
Victoria L. Smits