There is a mum somewhere who loves her little one so dearly, that she could go to such lengths for that love that she couldn’t fathom before. She spends each waking minute with her baby and even watches her while she’s asleep. She is also the same mom who could do anything to be away from her baby just for a little while. She blames herself for being a ‘bad’ mom, and to overcome her guilt for feeling this way, ends up spending even more time with the baby, making herself miserable over and over again.

There is a woman who has a dream. A dream to be somebody she’s not right now but could one day when her circumstances allow. At this moment, her focus is elsewhere, and her priorities are different. She loathes herself for not trying hard enough to chase her dreams or not giving it her all, without realizing she’s already given her entire self and much more to meet the needs of those around her. She tries to do it all, often failing and feeling even more inadequate than before.

There is a doting wife whose life couldn’t be more picture perfect with the right husband, the perfect home, the wonderful kids, and the cutest pet, all of whom she adores dearly. Then someone comes along and makes her feel alive in a way she hasn’t felt in a long time. She craves the attention but shoots herself down every time for feeling the way she feels. Guilt takes over and her perfect life overshadows how helpless she feels on the inside. She doubts everything she once stood for and curses herself for wanting more out of life than she already has.

If only the wife had accepted that marriage has its rocky waters which needed treading carefully once in a while. If she saw that sometimes it was more work than expected and the young girl inside of her did not estimate the effort. If only the woman could see that her dreams await her at the shore when she sails through this rough sea. The girl that the mum was before, awakens at times and wants to lead a life that once belonged only to her. We all have that girl inside of us who demands something different from the life we are leading. Do not display contempt for her, do not judge her, and please do not blame her. Hold her hand and take her with you to see the calmness on either side of the tides she often takes you to. Let her serve you as a reminder for who you once were, and how far you’ve sailed in this boat called life.