Synopses & Reviews
From the popular radio series
This I Believe comes this inspirational compilation of original essays on what one writer has called the "definitive relationship"motherhood. It is a relationship filled with love and heartbreak, pride and rebellion, advice not taken, and dreams realized.
A mother can be a cheerleader, a teacher, a breadwinner, an eternal optimist, and the safe harbor from life's many storms. This collection tells the personal stories of sixty essayists who share, in intimate terms, what motherhood means to them, exploring the unique bond that can be at once painful, loving, constructive, and nurturing
With rare candor, old and young children, biological mothers, stepmothers, and adoptive mothers all offer their perspectives. These essayists remind us that mothers may not always share our opinion or approve of all our actions, but they believe in usand we believe in them, even if we aren't always able to show or say it.
Written as a keepsake book that can be a thoughtful gift for someone special in your life, This I Believe: On Motherhood offers a compelling portrait of the diverse range of experiences and beliefs related to the mother-child relationship. With personal insights and inspiration, this collection makes a wonderful gift for longtime mothers, new mothers, and mothers-to-be.
To read more essays and submit your own, please visit www.thisibelieve.org.
Review
"It is a one-of-a-kind connection. The mother-child bond is not necessarily a product of the birth process. It is a product of love and caring, time and commitment, patience and teaching, enjoying the good times and working through the hard times." — Beth Beery
Review
"I believe in calling your mother. No matter where you are, no matter what you are doing, a phone call to your mother will make the world seem less daunting and help you feel stronger." — Suzanne Biemiller
Review
"I did not give birth to Trenton, but I love him as a mother would. I believe that being a mother is more than biology; being a mother is a state of mind." — Jennifer Smith
Review
"When my daughter was born, one of my many fears was that raising a child with Down syndrome would diminish my experience of parenthood, that this would be a less joyful kind of mothering. It is not." — Beth Crawford
Synopsis
Compelling stories of motherhood from the producers of the popular public radio showThis touching, thought-provoking book includes pieces on motherhood in its many manifestations written by more than sixty remarkable men and women from ordinary life, whose reflections and sentiments will resonate with readers far and wide. Among the contributors are young, middle-aged and elderly mothers (and stepmothers), as well as sons and daughters of all ages and from many different backgrounds. By turns funny and profound, this book is always engaging.
- Includes stories that are reverential and loving, as well as stories that are sad and clouded by yearning, loss, and regret
- Offers a compelling portrait of the diverse range of beliefs and experiences related to what is the most powerful and complex of human relationships
- Describes universal experiences that everyone can relate to, no matter your age, gender, or parenting status
Written as a keepsake book that can be thoughtful gift for someone special in your life, This I Believe: On Motherhood feels like flipping through a family photo album, each page offering another richly detailed snapshot of daily life from the delivery room to the deathbed.
Synopsis
Praise For This I Believe: On Motherhood"It is a one-of-a-kind connection. The mother-child bond is not necessarily a product of the birth process. It is a product of love and caring, time and commitment, patience and teaching, enjoying the good times and working through the hard times."
—Beth Beery
"I believe in calling your mother. No matter where you are, no matter what you are doing, a phone call to your mother will make the world seem less daunting and help you feel stronger."
—Suzanne Biemiller
"I did not give birth to Trenton, but I love him as a mother would. I believe that being a mother is more than biology; being a mother is a state of mind."
—Jennifer Smith
"When my daughter was born, one of my many fears was that raising a child with Down syndrome would diminish my experience of parenthood, that this would be a less joyful kind of mothering. It is not."
—Beth Crawford
"There are few things that have been around since the beginning of time. Birth is the beginning of time. For me, it is a great metaphor for all that is still mysterious and magnificent in the world."
—Geeta Maker-Clark, MD
About the Author
Dan Gediman is executive director of This I Believe, Inc., a not-for-profit organization that engages people in writing and sharing essays describing the core values that guide their daily lives. These short statements of belief have been featured on public radio since 2005. Gediman is coeditor of the
New York Times best seller
This I Believe, as well as several other books in the series, including
This I Believe: On Fatherhood.
John Gregory is editorial director and Mary Jo Gediman is outreach director of This I Believe, Inc.
Table of Contents
Introduction 1
Evolution 6
lauren leblanc
Do What You Have to Do 9
kimann schultz
Grabbing the Baton 12
julie sellers
You Can’t Always Get What You Want 15
kate searle
Visitor at the Table 18
maya christobel
The Power of Parenthood 21
andrea coleman
Call Your Mother 24
suzanne biemiller
Fighting for Motherland 27
susan monas
My Mother’s Gifts 30
alizon kiel
Monster Juice 33
lisa tucker mcelroy
Tell the Children 37
patty dann
The Comfort in Rituals 40
carol lathrop
The Simple Joys of Life 43
kris hansen
The Buddha Bean 46
beth crawford
The Bond Between Mother and Child 49
beth beery
On the Same Page 52
robin fitzgerald
The Real Measure of a Life Well Lived 55
annie azzariti
The Courage of One Woman 58
lien pham
The Juice Box Mom 61
candance gordon
The Wisdom of Children 64
patricia battaglia
The Gravity of Love 67
eleanor vincent
A Bountiful Harvest 70
kathrine leone wright
It Takes a Mother’s Love 73
bruce rankin
A Matter of One’s Perspective 77
josephine guido
Putting Myself First 80
sheri weinberg
Listen to Your Mother-in-Law 83
judi russell
A Mother’s Love 86
jennifer smith
I Can Make Time 89
lily llamzon darais
Our Children 92
haydeh takasugi
Being Yourself 95
carolyn williamson
We Are Optimists 98
angela west
Hope Dished Out in Plenty 101
david e. cowen
Saviors 104
lisa holmes
Raising Kane 107
shannon blady
Mom’s Everyday Advice 110
lea cassel matthews
Mother and Me 113
jamie lemke-barrand
Considering Adoption 116
susie m. green
The Eternal Sunshine 119
traci higgins
Don’t Tell Me How Rocky the Sea Is—Just Bring in the Ship 122
christine jarvis
Simple Saturdays 125
stefanie wass
Memories of Lessons Learned 128
mary lou hurley
A Parent at Home 131
lisa crystal
Expect to Have Enough 134
jodi ackerman frank
The Transformative Power of Letting Go 137
mary lacy porter
My Mother Is Beautiful 140
kelsey morgan
The Gift 143
keri freeburg
My Mother’s Eggplant 146
vijaya bodach
Dancing to the Music 149
amanda joseph-anderson
The Flaw-Free Body 152
kikki short
Some Things to Know About Your Mother 155
anne donahue
A Sacred Gift 158
alice roche cody
Motherhood Is Real 161
wendy lawrence
Miracle from Within 164
geeta maker-clark, md
The Essential Gift of Childhood 167
marla rose
Heaven Is Now 170
amy miller
Words Can Heal the Heart of a Mother 173
lynda sentz
The Second-Hardest Job 176
tina boscha
Bessie Mae: Nobody Famous 179
michael taylor
Pieces of Me 182
kimberly trevisani
Am I Doing This Right? 185
jeana lee tahnk
appendix
How to Write Your Own This I Believe Essay 189
Acknowledgments 191