Who Am I?
This is who I think I am.. But have no evidence to prove it.
I am a qualified nurse… retired
A Blogger… with no blog up to now.
A 20 year old…trapped in a 40-year-old body.
Someone who thinks they have huge business potential…. but I have no business.
This is what I do not believe I am… but all evidence says otherwise,
A wife, mother and part_time swim teacher, who spends the majority of every day impressing myself!
Anyone else recognizing themselves?
I remember a friend telling me of an experience she had on holiday one year. She was in her 30s with small children. One night whilst out with friends she enjoyed a bit too much of the local french wine. The company she was in were all very employed. She was a stay at home mum.
When she returned to her holiday home she began to ask, as only someone who has had a few too many can do “What Am I?”
Her husband initially ignored the question but she persisted “What am I?” “WHAT AM I?”
He tried to appease her by saying “You are a wonderful mother”. Needless to say that was not a good answer!. She roared, ‘I don’t want to be a mother, I want to BE something.
It is a cry I have uttered many times too, often quietly to myself.
My eldest is now at college.Sometimes I think back to my own third level education. I qualified as a nurse and enjoyed it very much. A mere five years later at 25-years of age, I was married with a young baby, my identity gone. I was a mother with no income and no longer had my own name.
If I was to look back I can see now that is the very point where I lost myself.
I became the other person that all evidence points to, but inside, I remained the person I have no proof I am.
Is the person we are our occupation?
I regularly have to answer questions on forms asking my occupation. Even after all this time I still sit awhile and ponder the correct answer. What do you say? unemployed, retired, housewife. There is no option of Mother.
When I was younger I was more than a little sensitive when someone asked me what did I do? On more than one occasion at my husbands work dinner dances I found myself sidelined, ignored, when I answered that I was at home mother with a baby. Left out I would fume. Thankfully I’ve begun to relax a lot more in my role and enjoy saying, tongue in cheek, how I live a charmed life, lunching five days a week and watching TV most of the day!
I suppose I have begun to rediscover myself.
So who exactly am I?
I am actually the person all evidence says I’m not. I’m happy believing it and don’t care if no one else does.
My thoughts on a page. 
I would ‘Like’ this twice if I could ! 😆
very happy with that comment!!
Love this. I read a few of your other articles as well. Nicely done.
As a “mum” of 7, who home schooled 4 of them, it was a great temptation to believe the press that an unemployed woman is a nobody. All right, sometimes I caved in and began to believe it myself. It was hard swimming against culture. I’m so glad I did, though.
Now, after 33 years of doing the mom thing, they’ve all left home. The day the youngest left I wondered, “What does life without children look like?” That was a year ago and all I can say is, “WAHOO! What a wild ride!”
Yet, it is still hard to be a human “being,” and not a human “doing!”
Hope your day is filled with light and love.
I can tell by your comment you so identify with this. It is not easy at the time but I too am so glad I did it, and my kids often remark on all the fun they had too.
Great to have you pass by. I will head over to check you our as soon as I can.
I really enjoy the way you write and your good sense of humour 🙂 And I can relate to your thoughts quite well.
Thank you. Delighted to see you call by. I wonder sometimes should I write in a more conventional way as some people are a bit demented trying to figure out my “poetry”, but then I just write another post and change nothing! Its good to know you enjoyed what you read. I see you have read quite a bit! 🙂
🙂
Today is the first time I saw your writing. I think I am gonna stay. Cheers.
Hi, delighted to have found you! It was your bit of Irish on another blog that got me here. Look forward to reading lots more of your writing.
Thanks a million for visiting. I love to connect to Irish bloggers although I rarely do. Nothing like the bit of Irish to catch your eye. Sometimes I notice the use of an Irish expression in a post or comment and I always check it out. I see you are up for a blog award, best wishes.
Great first post, i think I will enjoy reading through your blog.
Delighted to have you visiting. Especially as we are neighbours! Enjoy.
I’m liking the look of this already. I did the being at home with children bit for over ten years. Not Irish, but often wish I was (I have a very boring accent and would love to have a lilt) though my birthday is on St P’s day, so does that count a bit? Looking forward to reading more.
Yea almost twins! I hope you enjoy what you read and I am delighted to see you visiting.
In the USA, when two men meet, inevitably the question is asked initially: “So what do you do?” He always means “What is your line of work?” I love to respond with “well, it depends. I mean. I can do some dog tricks, but I’m better at llama tricks”….OR…”Well, I am glad you asked. Today I might drive down the road and get a nice lamb chop…and tomorrow I might go to Burger King and wear a crown on my head.”
Lol. Where did you get your blog title? Are you a lost kerryman?
My family is from County Kerry, but I was born in the USA- not my choice. I confess it is an attempt at humor…like the “bogman” jokes and the like. “A Corkman and a Kerryman were…” Unfortunately, I do not have as many Irish followers to appreciate the inside joke…indeed, I have walked the bog mountains enough to be among those who lost track…”now where are we again, lads?” lol