our voices

I've been thinking about our voice as mothers, as women. How often have our mothers', our grandmothers', our great grandmothers' stories been lost? Do you even know the name of your great grandmother? Do you know what her life was like? How she navigated her way through a time and a life that had little luxury? My great-great-grandmother had 18 children and lived on a farm in Wales. Beyond that, I don't know much. My great grandmother Elizabeth moved to Canada from Belgium, lost her husband in the coal mines of Crowsnest Pass, moved to Ladner where her son built her home and opened a birth house. She was a midwife. Beyond that....I'm still searching.

When I first started my blog I didn't want to tell anyone about it. I wasn't sure if my writing was any good, if anyone would read it, or if I could keep it up. But, as someone who never liked to write "Dear Diary...", I took the plunge and started it anyway. Now 10 months later, I Love It. I love having a space to write from the heart, to be honest, and share what inspires me, what makes me laugh or where my journey takes me as a mother.

I have now started delving into other women's blogs and what I am finding is amazing. Has there ever been a time in history when women had such a public venue and audience to express themselves in such great numbers? The community of women out there writing about their lives inspires me. And the best part is, you don't need to wait until a book publisher decides you are good enough to write, you can just jump in. What's the worst that can happen? No one will read your blog? But in the end, does it really matter? This is a place for our voices and if for nothing else, it is an empowering thing to be a part of, even if it just for ourselves. For the first time in history, women all over the world are recording their stories. We are creating our own windows into our lives. Wouldn't it be amazing if you could read your great-great-grandmother's stories about her everyday life?

I encourage you to be brave, jump in and write something. Our stories as women, as mothers, are so valuable; you deserve a space to share, your story deserves to be heard. I write for myself, for my children, and for the community that brings us all together.