Katy Perry’s song, “Firework”, features a lyric that asks “Do you ever feel like a plastic bag drifting through the wind wanting to start again?”

Yes. Yes, I do. It’s 2023. It’s been three years of weirdness since the beginning of Covid-19, and being a mom has become so much different. I’m not a stranger to “momming”, and I’ve been a stay at home mom for the majority of my mom years. My oldest is twelve, and I think I’ve worked a total of two years since becoming pregnant with him in 2010. I was used to isolation and social awkwardness. If Blippi didn’t sing it or Dora didn’t explore it, I knew nothing of it. The Mickey Mouse Clubhouse theme song had become a regular on my iTunes playlist. In fact, I didn’t even have a grownup playlist. Fast forward to 2023, and I was feeling like my entire personality is “mom”. What did I even do before this? What did I enjoy? Where did I go when I had time to myself? It’s such a lost and lonely feeling. This phenomenon isn’t unique to myself; moms everywhere are feeling this way. So what do we do? For me, the answer is to reinvent myself. I’ve begun looking into new adventures such as hiking and crafts. I’ve pulled out my violin and dusted it off to play again. I’ve started a blog (hello), and I’ve picked up on reading. There’s so much more to me than motherhood, and there’s more to you too! Being a mom is the single greatest thing I have ever done, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. That said, as a person, I’m starting again.