Other People's Lives

Last year on a Tuesday a daily (trashy) paper in Sydney ran an outrageous headline “HOW COULD SHE?” The story underneath was about a little baby that had been abandoned and left in a box on the steps of a church. The headline was referring to the mother because apparently the newborn girl was gorgeous – as if that changes anything.

I remember the headline was on a Tuesday paper because that was the day I used to read stories to lil’ kids at the café. There was outrage from the public that the newspaper would run such a headline that would compound every issue the mother must’ve been facing…should she glimpse the bold type in a newsagent. One of the mums at Story Time that day made a simple remark, “There’s not a mother alive that hasn’t felt that exasperated”. I thought that was a very bold and honest statement.

This blogspot doesn’t just exist to tell the world all the capable, groovy and got-it-together things in our lives. We are as un-together as anyone! I want to be bold and honest and say that this baby is exasperating at times. He’s also cute and gorgeous – as if that changes anything at 4am.

Desperate exasperation doesn’t just happen to other people. It’s not like there’s a sub-culture ‘out there’ of unstable mothers who can’t handle their babies. Those mothers are girls like your next door neighbour or your cousin or me! Let’s not be people with a superiority attitude who think we are not capable of doing the front page reportable acts. I don’t think there is a hierarchy of humankind where it’s just the lower levels who are in danger of doing desperate deeds. Boldness and honesty in a community is strong protection for everyone.

This post has not been written to cryptically flag my own issues. Just a deliberate act of boldness and honesty in community!!