Greetings— Mindful Mom in the Mud has a new name and today that is what we are talking about it. Welcome to A Wonderful Mess!
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Naming things is an incredible responsibility. For instance, consider the many factors when naming children. Of course, there is the general liking of the name as an initial criterion. Then there is the considering the popularity of the name. Soul searching is needed to discern if you are comfortable with your child needing to include their last initial in all classroom interactions until graduation. And then there is the weighing of the possible nicknames. As a Kathryn, my name is routinely abbreviated by others upon introduction. I become Kate, Kathy, and Katie within minutes. No offense to anyone with those names. But it has always puzzled me that I could introduce myself with both diction and confidence, and immediately have my name replaced by another’s preference. The last naming test involves confirming that the initials do not inadvertently spell something that will haunt the child. I am happy to say that my child-naming years are over. But I have other things to bestow names on now, like newsletters.
The newsletter’s new name is A Wonderful Mess. I am happy to report that it was easier than naming the four small humans in my home. I’ve learned that people often change the names of newsletters as interests, topics, and tones shift. Also sometimes taking it out for a ride in the real world leads to the discovery that others don’t interpret it as intended. I am aware that this may not be the end-all, be-all of newsletter name changes. And I feel okay with that.
Just a lady standing by herself
I have heard from many how much they appreciated the title, Mindful Mom in the Mud, finding the metaphor of the mud particularly apt to parenthood. And it does still ring true to me. I had written about the choice before here. Although lately, I have increasingly felt like the title was a little lonely. Initially it was intended as an invitation—"Hey come over let’s be in the mud together” but if the invitation is missed, it’s just a woman standing by herself in mud. As the newsletter continues to grow, I started to wonder about how to be a better host.
Not Just for the mindful moms
This newsletter is not just about moms (or mindful moms). I am aware I lean heavily into themes of motherhood and use a lot of the writing, podcasts, and such from other mothers. My bias is heavily mother-oriented because this is what I know. I use the term parent in a lot of writing though because this is a space for all parents including dads and non-binary parents. And the topics explored are not just for mothers.
Practical mindfulness is still a focus here. That won’t change in terms of content but being mindful isn’t a requirement to benefit from this newsletter. You can fall on the mindfulness spectrum wherever you like, from devout meditator to mindfulness skeptic. All are welcome.
But not for gardening, sorry
Although most readers have accurately interpreted the idea behind Mindful Mom in the Mud, the occasional reader stumbled in hoping for more gardening and nature content. We love nature in my house, but alas gardening or living wild in the woods is not what you will get here.
We are going with the mess instead
Yes, there are different possible misinterpretations of this title, too—perhaps it’s a cleaning newsletter? But it holds the original idea that parenthood is a messy experience. And parts of that are wonderful, too.
Mess is defined as:
a situation or state of affairs that is confused or full of difficulties.
Wonderful is defined as:
inspiring delight, pleasure, or admiration; extremely good; marvelous
It’s got some layers to keep exploring. We will see how it suits this endeavor over the coming months. Sorry to my kids if they feel that they need a name change, it’s not that simple.
Looking forward
Same focus and content for the most part but some new things will debut soon. Some of the longer and juicier pieces written here have been on pause for the summer. The care needs in summer are real. And the newsletter needed to be a lighter lift. I am excited to continue to explore the mess of parenthood with you.
It's a Mess and It's Wonderful, too