The following is a piece that Mother & I wrote together. We were asked to share our thoughts from the program and it may be published in the Dallas Morning News!!! Stay tuned!
A Mother-Daughter Perspective
My mother and I created a unique and cherished memory at the DMA event featuring Sue Monk Kidd and her daughter Ann Kidd Taylor.
It was easy to be drawn to this event as we both enjoy Sue's writings and were very intrigued by their joint book venture. From the beginning of the program to the very end, Mother and I were inspired, challenged, and slightly in awe of their gutsy bravado in weaving together such an honest and transparent story. They both are gifted with an amazing ability to verbalize deep emotional threads that are woven through a mother to her daughter; these are themes that bind us together and also keep us apart. They are common emotions that I had never taken the time to articulate or even realize were existent.
On the drive home that night, we talked constantly of our own observations of the evening. After the obligatory female review of how classy and beautiful Sue and Ann are, and taking the time to assess current fashion trends such as the ever changing hem-line on a skirt, we settled into deeper conversation. I recalled Ann's honest moment when she finally chiseled through the invisible wall that had defined their mother-daughter relationship. She was able to release her deepest emotions, crossing that imaginary boundary line to create a new place of honesty and transparency.
This particular passage that Ann read from their book pegged me squarely in the heart. I knew my mother's thoughts were in harmony with mine as we reminisced. And so, it was on this drive home that Mom and I rehashed a moment very similar to Ann and Sue's. Several years ago, I too, had harbored a disappointment in my life and struggled against depression. I too, had tip-toed the boundary line, trying to find my balance of "how much do I tell my mother" and "how much do I tell my best friend?" Were the two mutually exclusive, or was there a new definition of our relationship that could evolve, starting right now, if I poured out my heart to Mom? It was 1999, and I chose the path Ann chose: To fall over that imaginary line (I either fell or jumped, still not sure) and wake up to a new dawning of our relationship. We pushed beyond the past definition of who we were, and inched closer to redefining who we would become.
Mother latched onto Sue's pilgrimage of aging. Aging storms in whether invited or not; changes occur, boundaries shift, and relationships are redefined. Sue provoked introspection to embracing oneself as this stage of life emerges. As we explored those themes in Mother's life, I became more aware of her story. Our discussion opened yet another door for us. In acknowledging her present, we are more free to share her journey, even as it begins to reflect part of my future.
As we continued to share, Mom and I also laughed about our very own mother-daughter trip to Greece. Just like Sue and Ann, we had embarked on international travels together -- one of our favorites being Greece. We too, had written our memoirs, in the form of a travel journal that alternated between our individual perspectives. I can't honestly compare our attempt at writing to Sue and Ann's work of art, but what I can do is appreciate the inspiration that comes from the Kidd-Taylor duo. They attempted something wildly crazy, threw caution to the wind and lived out loud. Both ladies shared their unique story with gracefulness and appreciation for the other, and it WORKED! My mother and I left the event feeling inspired and energized to continue our story, wherever that may take us.
Thank you, Sue and Ann, for being a springboard of creativity and inspiration to many, many Mother-Daughter teams!
Below is a picture from our trip to Greece and Turkey. We are standing in front the ancient Library in Ephesus. Ever the book worms...
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