Gratitude List #4: Mothers etc.

Pixabay photo

Today I wish to pay gratitude, including for my Mom - see my post last year on this (http://xpressyouressence.blogspot.ca/2013/05/tribute-to-mothers-and-mothers.html) - and mothers in general.

I am grateful for (in no particular order):

* A warm and mostly sunshiney weekend (Mother's Day seems to be usually sunny or partly sunny)
* Visiting a local church with my landlady and listening to a song-filled service from the youth choir - a major delight - whose choir conductor I know from a community choir he used to conduct
* A luncheon at the church after the service and being treated by my landlady (I feel I should be treating her as she is a mother!)
* Volunteering for a community gospel choir at the same church with The Marcus Mosely Chorale with David Steele as a fun special guest
* In between the luncheon and the afternoon concert, being able to visit the nearby library and draft this blog post and check my emails
* Free outdoor music at a local farmer's market with a great band
* Farmer's markets and several on the North Shore
* Food trucks at the farmer's market
* A shoe sale this weekend for comfy, good quality shoes
* A $5 discount towards a purchase at a bookstore
* Second-hand clothes for half-price like $4 jeans that fit and are good quality
* My mother who gave birth to me
* Not being a mother (as weird as that may sound) - kudos to all mothers! - except for a brief stint with an adopted cat years ago. Though I love children, I just do not desire that role/responsibility in life, plus I never heard or felt the biological clock ticking. My life purpose/mission is more a pull for me than being a mother.

Ok, so tell me, what's on your gratitude list today?

Tribute to Mothers ... and 'mothers'

Eureka! I did it! I just grew an inch at least (and a yard or metre at least in terms of my comfort zone)! Do you wish to know how?

I expanded my comfort zone by singing in public for the first time, well at least as a duet, not as part of a choir singing harmony which I love (as an alto usually or a tenor previously). Maybe one day as a soloist, but not yet please! (The two times I sang solo to a small group of friends in Toronto doesn't count.)

When the altos of the byoV choir I sing in (www.lynnvalleychurch.com/programs/2-north-van-community-choirs/pages/byovoice) were asked by Alexis to sing as backup for her 1-1/2 weeks ago, I took the plunge - gulp - and said I was interested.

That was actually a leap of faith for me and a big one at that. You see, I never thought I had a 'nice' or 'good' singing voice. I'm not sure where that came from and wish I knew - perhaps it could assist in the healing of my thyroid which I am currently working on - as I only started singing in choirs in my early 20's, never before. (I would have loved if they had a choir program in school when I attended, like they do nowadays, as I've always loved to sing...see my very first posting, Call to Action (July 5, 2010), http://xpressyouressence.blogspot.ca/2010/07/call-to-action.html.)

I took it upon myself to challenge myself for two main reasons: my vision of a children's choir where I will probably sing solo - read my first two blog postings in particular to learn more - and for the potential healing of my thyroid (the self-expression part of the body, metaphysically speaking).

You might wonder, "How does (any of) this relate to Mothers?" Good question!

Well, apparently my Mom had a beautiful singing voice that others for miles - or metres - could hear (and comment upon favourably) as she sang up and down mountains and through forests in her native Austrian homeland. (That's Austria, not Australia! ;)) I say apparently as I never heard her sing and wish I had. (The removal of her thyroid caused that if I have my facts straight.)

By the way, a bit more of my amazing Mother on A Matter of Degrees posting (August 1st, 2010), http://xpressyouressence.blogspot.ca/2010/08/matter-of-degrees.html

Though my mother gave birth to me and my other siblings, I realize that we all are mothers (with a small 'm') in one way or another. Not in the traditional birthing of babies kind-of-way, but in the birthing of creative projects and/or taking care of pets and/or plants even! (My former adopted cat was like 'my baby.')

Please understand that I have a great respect for Mothers, including and especially for single Mothers as this is not meant to lessen or diminish their role and responsibilities at all. (I personally believe that mothers should be paid for their 'work' as I think it is the highest calling and one of the toughest responsibilities in the world....hmmm, maybe that's why I'm not a traditional 'mother' (notice the small 'm'). ;)

How are you a 'mother'? Are you tending to and nurturing your pet projects, dreams, and/or visions?