What is life without risk? What is life without letting yourself unfurl into the future? I love that your experience of motherhood unlocked and enhanced your ability to leap into creativity (as much as it constrains and guides it as well--both the tether and the wind that allow a kite to fly).
I completely share this experience of motherhood and intellectual life unfolding together! And it continues to this day, though in different ways now that my kids are grown/growing. Like intersecting waves, sometimes the two endeavors seem to cancel one another, and sometimes they augment each other. But either way, motherhood and writing are inseparably intertwined in my brain, my time, and my experience. Here's to more writing (and dare I hope for more kids??) from Shayla Frandsen!
What is life without risk? What is life without letting yourself unfurl into the future? I love that your experience of motherhood unlocked and enhanced your ability to leap into creativity (as much as it constrains and guides it as well--both the tether and the wind that allow a kite to fly).
Thanks, Shayla. As a first-time parent this year and a witness to my wife's intense labor, I really appreciated and benefited from this piece.
I love this piece very much and I linked to it today in a blog post I wrote at https://exponentii.org/blog/on-the-powerful-sacred-redemptive-work-of-mormon-feminist-writing/. You essay helps me to understand and to enjoy my experiences with creative and writing!
Thank you so much for saying this! I'm glad you read it, and I really enjoyed reading your post!
I completely share this experience of motherhood and intellectual life unfolding together! And it continues to this day, though in different ways now that my kids are grown/growing. Like intersecting waves, sometimes the two endeavors seem to cancel one another, and sometimes they augment each other. But either way, motherhood and writing are inseparably intertwined in my brain, my time, and my experience. Here's to more writing (and dare I hope for more kids??) from Shayla Frandsen!