Seasons Of Motherhood

I have to share this book Seasons Of Motherhood with you.

It is beautiful, thought provoking and so gorgeously well written.

Seasons of Motherhood by Sadie Hanson is a slim collection of prose and poetry. For a small book  it has a big impact and the things I have read within this book have stayed with me ever since. They keep coming to mind at odd moments. As well as that, I’m not sure if she got a book designer in to help make the front cover as pretty and functional as it is, or whether she made it herself, but it sets a great tone for what’s inside.

Sadie Hanson is a blogger and writer and can be found on her popular blog Older Mum in a Muddle.  She describes herself in the following way:

I’m a silver haired, middle aged mother of one; I praise the stars for organic hair dye. A prolific tea drinker, let it be said I’m partial to a slice of lemon drizzle, and baked vanilla cheesecake. I once was a DJ. Cool huh? Now I have a thing for psychology, and converse trainers.

Sadie’s book is a collection of writing, musings on the changing nature of motherhood, on ageing, the good and the bad of parenting and post natal depression. It is based around the seasons of the year as much as the seasons of our life. Sadie has described it as,

‘…. like looking in a mirror and daring myself to stand in my honesty and authenticity as an aging woman and mother’

Many times whilst reading this anthology I found myself nodding and sighing along recognising myself. Her poem on her hands and how they have changed resonated with me. I see my hands too as markers of the years and my many changes. She writes about a night out with her friend and how out of place they are but how entirely at home she is with herself as a mother despite this. I know those feeling so well.

The poem about Malcolm, her lover and her friend now lying neglected in the garden shed ( Please don’t worry Malcolm is a bike) had me near tears. Malcolm represents being young and  free, not distracted and preoccupied with the responsibility of motherhood. My Malcolm too lies neglected somewhere..one day to be rediscovered and attended too.

Sadie’s book made me think , wonder, pause, reflect and cry. It packs a mighty punch for a little book. She writes beautifully.

This her first publication. It certainly should not be her last.

You can buy Seasons of Motherhood here. (£4.50)