Ron Baker is a tough act to follow. I have enjoyed his column and appreciate all he has done with Kindersley Social. I wish him the best on his new adventure.
I was invited to write my first guest article with Kindersley Social back in May 2021. It was a piece on motherhood in celebration of Mother’s Day. I was enthralled with this form of prose, and was thrilled to write a guest column over the years. I am grateful to my editor, Nicole for being supportive and encouraging me to write freely, so when the opportunity came for a permanent column, I was honoured. I don’t take this space lightly and hope to honour your time with quality thoughts and the art of the English language. I plan to share my honest opinions with a background on how I may have formed them.
I hope the words I write spark some joy, some calm or at best, some sense of belonging. I know that for some what I write may be interesting and to some slightly aggravating. But hey, what is a column worth writing if it doesn’t ruffle a few feathers? I am aware that our thoughts and words are influenced by our upbringing and the directions we’ve chosen along life’s path. What I want to share is why I write the way I do and what has guided my opinions along the way. I’m not saying my mind can’t be changed…because that’s what’s great about life, you’ve got the right to change your mind – on the trivial or on life’s biggest moral dilemmas. We may not agree on everything, but I’m certain that when we lean in, there’s a few we could agree on.
I’m a mother of two, but still in my infancy in this role. I try my best, often miss the mark and have a lot to learn. Thankfully my sons have no idea that I have no idea what I’m doing. Something I’m sure their therapists will fill them in on later in life.
I had two miscarriages before my sons were born, this shaped me in ways I could not have imagined. It was the year 2018 and it felt like 365 days without sunshine. Sometimes you just can’t see the sun. The beauty of life though, is that one day you see the sunrise and it’s like nothing you’ve ever seen.
I grew up in a Catholic household, with strong values and devout beliefs. I like to think God and I are pretty good and I continue to stay curious about my spirituality. I’m not actively practicing but I believe that spiritual practice is in every human interaction.
I feel most grounded, connected, and whole when I am teaching or practicing yoga. The benefits of breathwork, asana and meditation are unparalleled to other forms of physical activity. The postures date back to approximately 5000 BC and were found on soapstone from the Indus civilization. A civilization during antiquity that had exquisite craftmanship and technologies that were incomparable for their time.
Lastly, my career began in marketing and has taken a few detours but always stays within the art of storytelling and gathering. I have stepped away from the workforce for more hang time with my kids, to support my husband and his business and to manage the household. A job I had no idea how to do when I was on my first maternity leave. I literally googled, “how to be an efficient house keeper with children”. I’ve always strived for more in my career, so it was life
altering, almost identity crisis-ish when I realized no one was handing out awards, and that I wasn’t getting a promotion or a bonus for a job well done. Intrinsic contentment just hits different.
So, there it is, a summary of who you can expect to see every few weeks. Along with an unequivocal commitment to connect with you through shared interests and opinions. Because of limited space and time, writing for a column can get oversimplified but I promise to be compassionately curious and I invite you to join me.
See you soon.
Jennifer
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