Dear Namaste87:

“My husband pointed out the other day the high chances about me mollycoddling my child to avoid being the sort of terror that my mother was….Honestly I don’t know. Only time will tell”- talk to him about what specific behaviors (that he observed other mothers do) does he considers to be mollycoddling, see if the two of you agree on the matter. And when time comes, and you find yourself mollycoddling your child (in your opinion and his)- then gently correct the specific behavior.

“Just this Sunday, a friend/acquaintance asked if my mother would be there take care of my baby.  I replied in negative and said my mother in law would instead. Her expression just changed, she was so puzzled. Why are in-laws looked at in such bad light? Maybe these people have had such loving homes, that they never had to look elsewhere for love”-

– Her loyalty is to her mother and mothers in general, the social norm being that a mother is a sacred figure, one to be worshiped. It doesn’t mean that she had a loving mother. Many of the most unloved children grow up to be the most loyal to their parents.

I think of you rushing to tell your aunt about seeking a therapist for your cousin as a caring move on your part, and trying your best to raise mental health awareness is admirable, thank you for doing that!

Thank you for sharing your poem, Buddha’s Crest, it is brilliant! What I get from it is that we humans start in heaven, pure and innocent, and proceed to fall down from heaven to the dirty, muddy life on earth, having to fight against/ manage the challenges and difficulties of life (the torrential and the menacing), having to learn how live best in less than desirable circumstances (learn how to  breathe underwater), and still blossom and keep our beauty(the pearly white petals). What does the poem mean to you, the poet?

anita