Comments for Wisdom Has a Voice

Comment on Like Mother, Like Daughter by Kate Farrell

Kate Farrell — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 22:28:48 +0000

Wonderful comment, Mariana. This is such a perfect discussion for Nancy’s post, “Like Mother, Like Daughter.” I like what you stated about your mother: “her devotion to her children was total.” And it certainly was proven by her single motherhood at a time and place where that was rare, by her many jobs to make ends meet, by her loving advice to you as a mother. In many ways as women, one generation learns from the one before and applies those lessons to a new and changing world!

Comment on Like Mother, Like Daughter by mariana swann

mariana swann — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 22:17:38 +0000

Wise words indeed, Kate. Our mothers were imperfect beings – as indeed we are. It is not always easy to put ourselves in their shoes. As a young adult I remember feeling deeply irritated by my mother. As I grew older I came to understand her better, and to look at her flaws with more compassion. My mother was highly strung, very emotional; but her devotion to her children was total. As Nancy says, not everything we get from our mothers should be passed along, but hopefully we can learn a lesson from their mistakes too.
One of my sisters thinks our mother was “an angel from heaven”. I disagree totally with that view. To me, she was a loving yet flawed human being. And I loved her and admired her just as she was, warts and all.

Comment on Like Mother, Like Daughter by Kate Farrell

Kate Farrell — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 16:05:30 +0000

Nancy, yes, I agree that we learn profound lessons from our mothers, but acceptance of my mother was the first. After that, my understanding of her allowed me to separate her personal issues from her deeper motivations.

Comment on Like Mother, Like Daughter by Nancy LaTurner

Nancy LaTurner — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 15:59:10 +0000

Kate, You make a thought-provoking point. Not everything we get from our mothers should be passed along! Perhaps our most profound wisdom lies in the ability to sort out, as you have, the true legacy and let the rest fall away.

Comment on Like Mother, Like Daughter by Kate Farrell

Kate Farrell — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 15:12:15 +0000

Learning directly from one’s mother is a true gift, realizing that her words were wise.

However, I’ve been realizing lately that I am increasingly free from my mother’s words and reactions to daily events. She was often given to panic, then fear, then anger. Not at all a pleasant emotional spiral.

Now I can sense that beyond all Mother’s negative chaos was her drive for success and her very high expectations, often dashed. That, to me, is her legacy: an inner commitment to strive, to do one’s best. All the rest has fallen away.

Comment on Like Mother, Like Daughter by Nancy LaTurner

Nancy LaTurner — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 22:37:25 +0000

Mariana, I used to resent hearing my mother’s words in my head — now I hear her words coming out of my mouth and I’m grateful to be able to pass the wisdom along. Like you, I thank God this is in our nature.

Comment on Uncovering What’s Universal by mariana swann

mariana swann — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 20:54:57 +0000

Hi Katrina, I’m only now catching up with reading and commenting on this, ‘our’ blog. You are right about us becoming our mothers. Often when I’m standing in front of the mirror, combing my hair, I see my mother staring back at me. But it is not only the physical resemblance; it’s also the way of looking at things, the philosophy of life, that we inherit from our mothers.

Comment on Like Mother, Like Daughter by mariana swann

mariana swann — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 20:48:31 +0000

Nancy, We start by doing our best not to become our mothers, to be different, and we end up admitting that they really knew what they were talking about. At the end, we become a lot like them. Must be the way nature has of passing wisdom from generation to generation, thank God.

Comment on Story Studio Chicago by mariana swann

mariana swann — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 20:31:01 +0000

Just to say that I, too, found Diane’s story, The Bed, intensely moving. If only we could remember that every day is precious and that life passes too quickly; and that the most important things in our lives are love and good health.

Comment on Like Mother, Like Daughter by Nancy

Nancy — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 03:48:20 +0000

Katrina, If every daughter is a little bit wiser than her mother, the world can be a better place. Wouldn’t I love to read my daughter’s memoir !