It’s no secret that women – more than men – often undersell their skills and abilities when applying for jobs. They underplay their achievements as mothers raising children and running a home at the same time. They usually need someone else, observing from the outside, to tell them that they’re doing much better than theyContinue reading “Imposter Syndrome”
Tag Archives: sons
Learning from Others’ Mistakes
When going through life, we inevitably come across encounters with others which cause us to reflect on our own lives. I’m no exception to that. Recently, I was engaged in a conversation with someone who was expressing their viewpoint about a sticky family situation. Whilst listening, I was coming in and out of focus andContinue reading “Learning from Others’ Mistakes”
Half of My Life
Earlier this week, I reached a bittersweet and poignant point in my life. I realised that exactly half my life ago, I was embarking on a new chapter called ‘Marriage’. It didn’t last as long as I had expected to which, to be honest, I always imagined would be till the day either my husbandContinue reading “Half of My Life”
Knowing One’s Place
It might seem like a bleak and pessimistic perspective but the idea of living out the remainder of my life without a marriage partner, is something that doesn’t make me afraid. If anything, I feel a sense of relief and being unfettered from responsibilities of taking care of another person other than those related toContinue reading “Knowing One’s Place”
Small Emergencies: Big Impact
A couple of days ago I was abruptly woken up by a loud bang and the gush of water coming from the en suite bathroom. Within a few minutes, the bathroom floor had been flooded and I found myself stamping on towels to mop up the excess water. Alhamdulillah, I had also managed to awakenContinue reading “Small Emergencies: Big Impact”
Family Reunions
Families come in so many different forms and sizes. This weekend was all about coming together, both for short and longer term periods. I went to collect my middle son from university which he has finally finished. So, for now, he is going to be at home with us whilst he makes plans for hisContinue reading “Family Reunions”
A Double-Edged Sword
One thing I hope never to do is to dissuade my own sons from the idea of marriage. Regardless of my own not seeing it to the end of time, there’s no need to be completely cynical about this institution as a whole. (Maybe the word ‘institution’ needs to be revamped. It has such negativeContinue reading “A Double-Edged Sword”
Walking A Tightrope
The other definition of parenthood: tightrope walking. One of the most challenging aspects of it is to find the right balance between knowing when to share advice and when to keep quiet. Constantly assessing and over-assessing a situation to know if it’s a good time to get a positive outcome or not. Sometimes, I haveContinue reading “Walking A Tightrope”
Twenty-One Years a Mother
Alhamdulillah. For everything. Today, my oldest sons are on the cusp of completing twenty one years, inshaAllah. Whilst a big deal is made in Western culture of reaching a 21st birthday, I don’t celebrate them as such but I do acknowledge that a year is another milestone reached. How could I not when I amContinue reading “Twenty-One Years a Mother”
Conversations with My Mother
In conversations with my octogenarian mother, I find I have to often bite my tongue and remind myself that not only is she my mother but also the product of another generation. Since I’ve been divorced, she has countless times lamented the fact that I am now on my own. She worries about my futureContinue reading “Conversations with My Mother”