The Elusive Quest to Understand Mothers
An article in The Atlantic Monthly on May 9th, titled “How to Understand the Book of Mothers,” delves into a profound and complex topic. Many individuals spend their entire lifetimes attempting to make sense of their relationship with their mothers. Yet, this relationship is inherently unequal. Mothers are there to witness and accompany their children’s growth, but children rarely have the chance to see their mothers’ pasts. Questions like “What was she like before I was born?” and “How did she become the person she is today?” linger.
In any parent – child relationship, whether it’s intimate or fraught with conflict, these questions are incredibly hard to answer. Each person’s unique experiences lead to diverse answers. Nevertheless, for years, countless people have been eager to “understand” the woman who carried them for nine months and gave them life.
A Story That Offers a Glimpse
The novel Lake Tom by American author Ann Pachet provides an interesting perspective. Set during the early 2020 COVID – 19 pandemic, it tells the story of 57 – year – old Laura Nelson, her husband Joe Nelson, and their three daughters in their twenties. They return to their cherry farm in Michigan. Due to the pandemic, the farm employees couldn’t come to work, so the family took matters into their own hands and led a simple rural life, picking cherries every day.
To pass the time, Laura, who used to be an actress, shared a part of her past with her daughters. She told them about her love story with a now – famous film star in the 1980s. This memory opened a window for the daughters into an unknown side of their mother. They got to know a 24 – year – old Laura, an actress similar in age to them at that time, who loved art and enjoyed life. A young girl passionate about her acting career, who could find time amidst busy theater rehearsals for dates and swimming at a nearby small lake.
The children were confused. They wondered why their mother, who seemingly never did manual work, now walked alongside their father, who toiled in the fields every day. But Laura had no regrets. She followed her heart’s choice. Even though that glorious summer had long faded from her memory, her choices had brought her a deeper and more lasting kind of happiness.
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