Kathryn Gahl

Archive for the ‘Parenting’ Category

WHAT SHALL WE CALL HIM?

In Connection, LOVE, Parenting, Uncategorized on May 4, 2016 at 7:39 pm

Traveler                                                                                                                                                       Talker                                                                                                                                                      Sojourner of the soul                                                                                                                                  who carried grief and woe                                                                                                                          the wet sun, a cloudy moon

Yet                                                                                                                                                                      his eye sparkled                                                                                                                                             his ear heard your every tone

His life almost too big to contemplate                                                                                                       Complications arranged like                                                                                                                                 chess pieces, baskets of tulips, basketballs on the bounce                                                         while he walked tall                                                                                                                                      for he is . . .

A sunny path on summer’s day                                                                                                                 Autumn colored with cheer                                                                                                                           A comfort in winter’s chill                                                                                                                             The spring in hope’s step

A Man For Every Reason

And so, we call him Owen:                                                                                                                                      brave, gallant, greathearted                                                                                                                           a force born                                                                                                                                                                  with a damn good sense of humor

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MY SON

Warrior

Screening

In Anxiety, Depression, Healthcare, Maternal Mental Illness, Parenting, Uncategorized, Work-Family Conflict on January 26, 2016 at 4:44 pm

in a basketball game

players work hard to

watch the moving screen 

and in the

game of life the screen works too

as we watch the fecund mother-to-be

carry

the precious round ball of life in her belly

we oogle and shower and grin at the hunky-doryness

 

and when the ball hits the real world

the bouncing

beautiful

baby

beatifies

us

shows us what miracle looks like

and oh oh oh

we remember the miracle

 

and then whoa

we forget the pressure to perform

we fail to screen the mother

for overwhelmingness

fastidiousness anxiety depression

a rim of pain

now known as maternal mental illness

 

because

we expect her to work full-time

excel at her job

breastfeed till the cows came home

 cook and clean

and oh take care of the Daddy too

he has needs dontcha know

and she keeps up

dribbling

bounce passing

jump shooting

bypassing sleep (can’t sleep anyway)

a hook shot here

a free throw there

though nothing’s free

 

because maternal leave costs money dontcha know

how can you expect to stay home

and be a momma for a year or two

do nothing but raise a child

and get some sleep and

be lovin’

on the baby’s father

when there’s other work to do

 

and that’s why she runs laps

keeps up

because that’s what mothers do

dontcha know

until they don’t

until they go crazy

 

STILL HERE

In Anxiety, Depression, Parenting, Work-Family Conflict on March 8, 2015 at 6:33 pm

STILL HERE

Dear Leo,

The blessing of your spirit, the light in your eyes, a year later. . . still here.

And we listen, we live, we love,

Broken

Yet

Mindful, aware


Dear Nora,

The shock in your soul, the break in your heart, a year later . . . still here.

And we pray, we strive, we commit

To ease your suffering

Transform you and your story

Open the blinds

On depression

Still Here