Before the little one, I thought I was a bore. Sure, I liked myself but I didn’t think much of it. I remember thinking that other people were doing bigger and better things than me. When Magdalene came, I realized I had lost one of the most interesting people in my life: me. I know, it sounds a bit narcissistic. But losing myself meant that I finally valued myself. Everyone knows the phrase, “You never know what you have until it’s gone.” That was how I felt. Prior to giving birth, I involved myself in many hobbies. I learned a bit about art, photography, graphic design, and languages. I practiced these things in and out of school. I also went to the city everyday.
After regaining my physical and mental strength, I told myself that I don’t have to forget about myself in order to be a mother. On the contrary, I have to remember and be who I was in order to be the greatest mother. If you don’t remember who you are or what you were before the baby, you won’t succeed in parenting; you’ll drown in misery. Remembering who you are is the greatest thing since you’ll now share it with a little being that looks up to you.
