Harp Column Blogs: Laura ByrneArchive

Happy Mother's Day to all the Moms in the harp world! Whether you are a Harpist - Mom or a mother of a harpist, I hope you "Take 5" and celebrate your day. However, having only ONE DAY to celebrate motherhood seems outrageously insufficient to me. After all, we feed, clothe, clean, nurture, save the world, and create miracles on a daily basis, and yet we only get one day? I know, I know, nag, nag, nag, yes we are good at that too. How else would we get you to go out and make something of yourself?

I will be working this Mother's Day, but I don't mind as it was my choice. In fact, I am one of those Moms who loves her work AND her children. How lucky I am that my Mom's generation fought so hard for me to have that choice; never mind that I have to work to support my family.
As I look forward to Mother's Day I remember my own mother and all the wonderful women who have supported me in my life. Even though my Mom is no longer living, she still influences me in my decisions
on a daily basis. I am grateful to my women friends who have supported me especially when I gave up my career for several years to raise my children. Although it was hard and exhausting, I would not have traded those years for anything. Now that my kids are older they see me working and are proud of my accomplishments. They have seen me overcome so many obstacles and still succeed in spite of some individuals who would rather I didn't. As a working mother, I have had to fight the back-handed prejudice against women with children who have successful careers. Having recently been accused of being "too blessed", I can only imagine the tortured minds that could rationalize someone else's success in such a distorted view. As one friend recently reminded me, you know you are really succeeding when the "eyes of jealousy" appear out of nowhere. And yet, I don't see myself as successful as so many people I admire. In fact, I see so many amazing people doing fantastic things that I feel like a tortoise in this "race for success". I guess I look at things differently now that I am older and have seen "the good, the bad, and the ugly". The prize is not always "winning" but "giving your personal best" and "how you play the game" that is most important.

As I look around at my working women friends I appreciate the wisdom of their experience and they appreciate mine. I also appreciate the wisdom of my non-working women friends who sacrificed their careers for their children. We know all too well the pain and sacrifice that mingles with the joys of our success and that of our children. But what is success? I know I feel it when I play well, and my students play well. I also know it when my children throw their arms around me and say good job Mom! This is usually followed by what's for dinner and can we make cookies tonight? As I consider the endless grind of the "schedule", the shopping, the dishes, and the laundry, I remind myself how lucky I am. After all,
I get to play the most beautiful instrument in the universe and make gorgeous music too-in fact, I'm half way to heaven already!