On the Road with LLL
Kathryn
MO USA
From NEW BEGINNINGS, Vol. 19 No. 1, January-February 2002, p. 12
Picture yourself on a trip,
traveling the planned route, when you see an alternate road up ahead
that looks interesting. Something catches your eye, intriguing you.
Maybe it's the scenery, a sign along the way, or just something you
heard about. Perhaps you aren't quite sure where that new and different
road will lead you, but you trust your map and your navigation skills
to be able to get you where you eventually need to go. I think mothering
is like that.
I began attending LLL meetings
a couple months before my daughter was born. I was a working woman.
I had a well-planned route in mind. I was determined to breastfeed,
and I wanted to go to the experts about breastfeeding. So I made a scheduled
stop at a La Leche League meeting. I felt pretty overwhelmed at my first
meeting because there were so many mothers and babies. It was a very
small house, and I wasn't accustomed to meetings led by someone who
could hold a conversation, nurse a baby, chase a toddler, and answer
a preschooler's questions simultaneously. I felt pretty lost and I was
in alien territory. I mailed in my membership dues to La Leche League
International the very next week, but I found a smaller Group to meet
with the following month.
My map said I was going back
to work, and I'd made arrangements with my employer to work from home
part time during my maternity leave to earn a little extra money. After
a few weeks I figured out that I was headed down a new road, and I would
be happier if I stayed at home with my new baby. And even though I was
glad to be on this path, I was feeling a little lost again. I'd embarked
on this trip with two other travelers from my office, since three of
us happened to be giving birth at about the same time. They were still
following "the map." I was the only person I knew who had
changed routes.
As I tried out this new direction,
I went out of my way even further to find fellow travelers. I drove
all the way across town to LLL meetings and looked forward to them because
they were like signposts along the way, confirming that I was on the
right road after all.
Traveling this road, I found
myself describing the way to other mothers who needed ideas about how
to make the trip. I discovered that I did know the way, once I let my
internal navigation take over. And one day when my daughter was about
two years old, I heard our LLL Group Leader talking to a couple of other
members about coming to her house to discuss leadership. I remember
feeling very interested, but I wasn't sure if it was for me. Could this
be a new detour on my journey?
I approached her after the
meeting and she welcomed me to come and learn more. I knew I had skills
to offer LLL from my previous experiences, and I recognized that groups
like La Leche League don't happen without help from lots of people.
Most importantly, I saw breastfeeding and the help I got from LLL as
a pivotal point on my journey, an important part of my special relationship
with my baby. I wanted to help other mothers find that same wonderful
path!
My path has continued to
wind its way about the main road and back, still taking detours along
the way. There are many days when I feel as though I'm definitely stuck
on the frontage road of life, watching everyone else zoom along the
interstate at top speed! There's a lot more to juggle now: an older
child, homework, science projects, PTA jobs, work, additional volunteer
commitments, and more LLL. Life is busy between LLL meetings and even
with a co-Leader, we struggle to stay on top of all the things we'd
like to do. The road is still there, but now there are many more alternate
routes begging to be tried. Since we both have returned to work full
time, it's harder to find available time for Planning and Enrichment
Meetings, community outreach, or the many additional LLL activities
we'd love to be able to plan and organize. I am always wondering if
the mothers who come to our LLL meetings are finding their path clearly.
Are they interested in knowing more about LLL leadership? We'd love
to have other Leaders join us for the trip! Having a group of women
to travel with makes the journey so much more fun.
Most of all, I hope these
Group members know that LLL leadership is not an exclusive membership;
it's open to all mothers who identify with the philosophy of La Leche
League. Each woman needs to have a willingness to follow a certain vision
along the way, though our paths may vary in many ways. The process requires
commitment and time, much like any journey. Like motherhood, sometimes
the road is smooth and easy, and sometimes there's a bump every step
along the way. The key here is that your map is your own, and you have
the opportunity to choose the path you ultimately take. If you would
like to explore the road to LLL leadership, ask a Leader along your
journey.
Last updated Wednesday, November 1, 2006 by njb.
Page last edited Sun Oct 14 09:30:14 UTC 2007.
