This blog, East Row Mama, has served as a private place to park my thoughts over the last several years. It began as a "toe in the water" back in 2008 - when I first began to explore the new media channels that were exploding all around us.
I was coming out of a stretch of nearly ten years as a fully engaged, stay-at-home spouse and mother and was making the difficult decision to return to the workplace. I was also facing the difficult challenge of discerning what exactly I might do out there after being away for so long.
I'm choosing to see that as an indicator of growth. Lack of activity here is evidence that I've found meaningful things to occupy my time elsewhere. As it turns out, what it really means is that I decided to ditch the "toe in the water" approach to all of this and, instead, I dove right in to the deep end and kept swimming into the open water.
Now, I find myself returning to this early spot - like a wistful, sentimental pilgrimage back to my roots. I am still a mom. I am still a spouse. But I have my own identity - I am my own person. The path is not easy, but I am energized by it, and that makes it worthwhile. I'm excited to blow the dust off this blog. It's time.
I read somewhere once that, no matter what else is going on, all a woman really wants is control over her own life. It's true. I don't need to control others. But I do need to at least have the sense that ultimately, I am in charge of my own life.
I'm an urban mama in the East Row. And I do some other things too. Welcome to my joyful madness.
photo credit: Έλενα Λαγαρία via photo pin cc