I always text my kids before I take off on a plane with a quick “I love you.” I wait until they send me heart or kiss emojis or an “I love you too,” and then I put my phone into airplane mode.
And no matter how much I tell myself that all will be well, my stomach tightness, my chest feels heavy, and the tip of my nose tickles, warning that tears are coming up.
It’s a little uncomfortable being out of reach for a while. Maybe it’s because I’m used to the convenience of cell phones and texts, but I think it’s more about being a mom. As the plane lifts off, I say a little prayer for safety and for God to bring me home to my kids after I do my job.
Inevitably, I feel a bit at odds with myself… I love singing, speaking, and performing too much to quit. I love being a mom. And doing both is sometimes painful. (The year before the Pandemic I was on an amazing tour and I missed every band performance my kids were in!)
Last week, I got an email from Croatian Records asking me to film a short video about motherhood – adding how they picked women who had successful careers and were engaged mothers.
“Motherhood is a gift and an honor. As mothers, we get to participate in creating lives – not just by birthing our children into the world, but more so through our guidance, our presence, support, love, through giving them all they need to grow into the people they were created to be. So following our own paths, being passionate about the work we do – and how it benefits other people – becomes a beautiful example for them to not be afraid to be who they are, and to experience how following their dreams gives them a sense of fulfillment and purpose.”
I always text my kids before I take off on a plane with a quick “I love you.” I wait until they send me heart or kiss emojis or an “I love you too,” and then I put my phone into airplane mode.
And no matter how much I tell myself that all will be well, my stomach tightness, my chest feels heavy, and the tip of my nose tickles, warning that tears are coming up.
It’s a little uncomfortable being out of reach for a while. Maybe it’s because I’m used to the convenience of cell phones and texts, but I think it’s more about being a mom. As the plane lifts off, I say a little prayer for safety and for God to bring me home to my kids after I do my job.
Inevitably, I feel a bit at odds with myself… I love singing, speaking, and performing too much to quit. I love being a mom. And doing both is sometimes painful. (The year before the Pandemic I was on an amazing tour and I missed every band performance my kids were in!)
Last week, I got an email from Croatian Records asking me to film a short video about motherhood – adding how they picked women who had successful careers and were engaged mothers.
“Motherhood is a gift and an honor. As mothers, we get to participate in creating lives – not just by birthing our children into the world, but more so through our guidance, our presence, support, love, through giving them all they need to grow into the people they were created to be. So following our own paths, being passionate about the work we do – and how it benefits other people – becomes a beautiful example for them to not be afraid to be who they are, and to experience how following their dreams gives them a sense of fulfillment and purpose.”
Speaking of work, I was in Phoenix, AZ doing a gig! It was a Mother’s Day event and I got to sing and speak.
I walked through the Nashville airport with my guitar on my back. The TSA agent joked that there has been a special ‘musicians tax’ added since the last time I flew. Perhaps because there will be so many musicians traveling now when the world opens back up LOL – we will be like puppies being let out of a crate.
I passed by a restaurant with live music and said a prayer for a jar full of tips.
A few feet further, I noticed the sunlight coming through the glass roof and I looked up. There was an art installment of beautiful colorful umbrellas. It made me pause and take a breath and smile…
I sat down at my gate and sent a picture of the umbrellas to my son, who loves public art installments. I told him how the art made me feel happy and uplifted.
Art makes us stop. We admire it and enjoy it. And in doing so our heart is touched. Perhaps you smile, or you wonder about its creation or the artist. You definitely interrupt your thoughts for a moment (perhaps you were worrying about the flight, or being stressed about something at work) and it gives you a chance to think about something more relaxing. You slow down your breathing, your heart opens a bit wider, and you experience your journey with more presence of mind and spirit.
Isn’t that amazing?
Since mother’s day is tomorrow, I want to wish all of you mothers a happy day – and those of you who aren’t mothers, I wish you a happy day as you celebrate the woman who gave you birth.
And, we can all ‘give birth’ to more peace, love, kindness, and compassion…
Speaking of work, I was in Phoenix, AZ doing a gig! It was a Mother’s Day event and I got to sing and speak.
I walked through the Nashville airport with my guitar on my back. The TSA agent joked that there has been a special ‘musicians tax’ added since the last time I flew. Perhaps because there will be so many musicians traveling now when the world opens back up LOL – we will be like puppies being let out of a crate.
I passed by a restaurant with live music and said a prayer for a jar full of tips.
A few feet further, I noticed the sunlight coming through the glass roof and I looked up. There was an art installment of beautiful colorful umbrellas. It made me pause and take a breath and smile…
I sat down at my gate and sent a picture of the umbrellas to my son, who loves public art installments. I told him how the art made me feel happy and uplifted.
Art makes us stop. We admire it and enjoy it. And in doing so our heart is touched. Perhaps you smile, or you wonder about its creation or the artist. You definitely interrupt your thoughts for a moment (perhaps you were worrying about the flight, or being stressed about something at work) and it gives you a chance to think about something more relaxing. You slow down your breathing, your heart opens a bit wider, and you experience your journey with more presence of mind and spirit.
Isn’t that amazing?
Since mother’s day is tomorrow, I want to wish all of you mothers a happy day – and those of you who aren’t mothers, I wish you a happy day as you celebrate the woman who gave you birth.
And, we can all ‘give birth’ to more peace, love, kindness, and compassion…
Finally, as a mother, I’m going to share another poem by my son Blais 🙂 It’s about a piece of art that I ended up painting (the original idea was to have my three sons – who were 10,8, and 5 at the time – paint it, but they all painted a single star and lost interest LOL)
Starry Night
Starry night, over the
hills, I am mourning my youth,
watching comets fall.
And my family painting all together
As a child amazed by
The beauty of the brush
So many stars
So quaint and lush
Oh youth, taking advantage of
My family all together
Thinking
This would last forever and ever
Mom painting day and night
Asking if we would not just stare
Until I took the brush and
Painted her hair
Oh starry night
I’m sorry for my mistakes
I just wish I had
My family in one place
-Blais, Grade 10
Finally, as a mother, I’m going to share another poem by my son Blais 🙂 It’s about a piece of art that I ended up painting (the original idea was to have my three sons – who were 10,8, and 5 at the time – paint it, but they all painted a single star and lost interest LOL)
Starry Night
Starry night, over the
hills, I am mourning my youth,
watching comets fall.
And my family painting all together
As a child amazed by
The beauty of the brush
So many stars
So quaint and lush
Oh youth, taking advantage of
My family all together
Thinking
This would last forever and ever
Mom painting day and night
Asking if we would not just stare
Until I took the brush and
Painted her hair
Oh starry night
I’m sorry for my mistakes
I just wish I had
My family in one place
-Blais, Grade 10
Music
The feeling of separation between a mother and a child works both ways. Here is the song I wrote one year after I dropped my mother off at the airport and watched her disappear through security. She lives in Croatia so we’re an Ocean apart, and I just miss the little every-day things we don’t get to do together.
A friend of mine put this video together so that I can share this song with you:
The feeling of separation between a mother and a child works both ways. Here is the song I wrote one year after I dropped my mother off at the airport and watched her disappear through security. She lives in Croatia so we’re an Ocean apart, and I just miss the little every-day things we don’t get to do together.
A friend of mine put this video together so that I can share this song with you:
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AND live your dream life.
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event updates directly to your inbox.