Breathe
By María Alatriste
On March 27th was the launch of my book, in a beautiful place called La Otilia. It was an event that happened very organically, although my brain, with that "mommy brain" effect of being in a thousand things at once and suddenly not even remembering what I was doing, was sometimes present in the planning.
It was very motivating to see the little ones in this presentation and to see women, moms and non-moms, making a tribe. To realize that this chaos is also our paradise, because the chaos that is understood is an easier task to carry. There was a person who proposed to close the door of the beautiful toy library that we improvised in the place. That is what people who supported me in the event told me. We didn't take it as something rude, but I must be honest: it was strange to hear screams all of a sudden. Above all, because of the alertness you feel as a mother to make sure everything is all right. It would be contradictory to say that chaos is idyllic.
I was able to thank all the people who have been part of this book; they have been part of it through their reflections, through their experiences, through what they have taught me. The authors I read, in whom I took refuge. There are other people, authors and content creators, that I got to know after submitting the manuscript. It has been a wonderful thing. Something I simply cannot take for granted. I can only be grateful. The impulse of motherhood has made me open doors of all kinds, like this dream of someday being a writer (although I wrote a lot since I can remember and I did not dare to teach anything because of that impostor syndrome that sometimes haunts us), present my second book and even have a column where I write about important issues in Opinion 51.
That day of the presentation, many things happened thanks to the people who wanted to be part of this literary story that speaks of the labyrinth of my reflections, also of a common voice that is being moms in a world that still lacks much empathy. Motherhood is beautiful because of the love for children, but it can also be chaotic and even horrifying because of a system that demands unattainable standards with so many invisible sacrifices.
On this day, the importance of a more empathetic society was also discussed, as well as the importance of fathers' involvement in parenting, which is increasingly known as co-responsibility.
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