Every Precious and Fragile Thing

by Barbara Davis

Motherhood doesn’t come with a set of instructions. Sometimes, the box arrives damaged and some of the pieces are missing. But you own it now, this job you weren’t ready for, and so you muddle through. You make mistakes, sometimes horrible ones, and there’s nothing to do but live with them.”

Mothers aren’t supposed to have yesterdays. To our children, we’re blank slates, patiently awaiting their appearance so our lives can finally begin. In their minds, we’ve kept no secrets, dreamed no dreams, committed no sins. But few of us come to motherhood unmarked by life. We’ve had pasts and passions—and yes, regrets. I