You won’t catch me sipping on patchouli leaf tea, listening to Jefferson Airplane with my hair in dreadlocks planning my next trip to San Francisco
Even if I’m not partaking in the above mentioned activities, the majority of my friends and family still brand me as a hippie…I guess I could think of a few reasons why…
In all actuality, I don’t have a problem with it.
But, a hippie - that’s just not me. I mean, come on, I have overtly compulsive tendencies when it comes to keeping the pillows on my couch even. I have a huge make-up bag. I use a tanning bed on occasion and dye my hair. I don’t own one long skirt (denim or other-wise).
I kill plants - That’s got to count for something, right?
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| Poor plants. |
Here’s the thing, my “pre-kid” self didn’t even know people had babies at home. Well, maybe Amish people, I guess – but not “regular” people, right?
You see, “pre-kid” Amanda is still there, she never went away – but I’ve come to realize this amazing gift of parenthood has the uncanny ability to catapult a person into serious personal development, it did for me anyways. But, for me, this growth is partially witnessed in the (“hippie”) choices I make for the health of myself and my family – some of those choices just happen to be having a baby at home or making toiletries from scratch.
Interestingly enough – the term hippie is derived from the West African word ‘hipi’ which means “to open one’s eyes”...
When I was in my early twenties I never knew cloth diapers existed or that people put babies in slings - then I had my daughter.
Then I started co sleeping and wearing a Moby Wrap at the market...and making all of my own baby food - I found myself secretly breastfeeding my daughter past the age of one. I was stashing up on cloth diapers….and then, oh god, I found myself planning for another baby and I was going to have a drug-free, natural birth – AT HOME!
However, I still change diapers wearing 6 inch heels in overly-priced BCBG dresses – all-be-it they are cloth diapers.
The way I look at it, I am just adding to the person I already was.
Aren’t we all?
What’s exciting is the growing number of mothers embracing practices that were once labeled at crunchy, granola or hippie – and not one of them consider themselves to be the any of those things. They still kill plants for gosh sakes.
How fabulous is it that there is a growing amount of soon-to-be mothers seeking out midwives/doulas, planning for a safer drug free birth – or that more women have access to local boutiques that offer breastfeeding support and even classes in cloth diapering!
There must be some good reason we are experiencing an increase in “non-hippie” parents implementing such hippie-like practices. As for the reasons, that’s another post – but for now, I celebrate all mothers and fathers for covert (and OVERT!) hippie practices while still wearing business suits and paying way too much for their morning coffee!
“The ultimate goal of being ourselves in an authentic way
is actually about loving ourselves in a generous way.”
Love the quote at the end! Nicely said. We are all unique individuals with many different qualities and interests. We are women, mothers, wives or partners, friends, and whatever else we choose to be. No need to limit ourselves with labels.
ReplyDeleteAmen!
DeleteHahaha! This reminds me of a situation I was in a few years ago. I was shopping at a health food store with my daughter. A woman was standing next to me and she was more hippie than any stereotype you can imagine. She had dreds, smelled of patchouli, was wearing what looked like rough wool clothing, and had a baby the same age as my daughter in a sling. I couldnt help but ask if she had her baby at home and of course she said yes and then I said I did too! She gave me a skeptical "yeah right" look and that was about it. On the car ride home from the store I realised it probably had to do with the fact that I had freshly dyed hair, a full face of makeup, was weather knee high leather boots with 3 inch heels with a bright red coat and pushing my daughter around in a bugaboo stroller. Hahaha.
ReplyDeleteGreat post as usual!
Ha! What a great story!!
DeleteI confess: I kill plants :(
ReplyDeleteBut I also try my best to be true to myself and nature as I am part of nature.
I realised last night after another bub was born to my family, that of more than 40 cousins, I'm the only one planning a home birth. I must be the 'hippie' amongst them :)
Hehe! Awesome post!
There is one in every family lol
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