Five other mothers | Previous Challenge Entry

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TITLE: Five other mothers | Previous Challenge Entry
By Paula Suhey
04/18/08
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Family heritage. An important part of our becoming who we are supposed to be. At least that’s the way it is for me. My mother and father are such a vital part of who I continue (even as a mature adult) to be. They pray, encourage, support – not just me, but my siblings, their children and grandchildren and our large extended family – one that includes their sisters and thus – my aunts.

When I read The Red Tent, the story of Dinah, the only daughter born to Jacob, son of Isaac, son of Abraham, actually created in the imaginative mind of Anita Diamant, I could closely identify with the main character who said, “If you want to understand about a woman, you must first ask her about her mother¬ and listen. The more a daughter knows about her mother¹s life, ¬ the stronger the daughter.''

I continually study my strong, Godly mother and pray that my daughters and granddaughters will find that same strength in me.

There is another aspect of Dinah’s life that I also connect to. Following her statement about understanding and listening to her mother, she acknowledges this is more complicated for her because “I had four mothers, each of them scolding, teaching and cherishing something different in me.''

She did not have four mothers, but she did have aunts and close female relatives that were her mentors. Like Dinah, I have had women, my mother’s four sisters and my father’s one who have all been influential in my life. They continue to teach, cherish and scold me. They encourage and cajole and pray. They use the talents and gifts God has given them to make me want to be like them and in essence more like Christ.

I guess you could say I have my own red tent.

Aunt Thelma was a Bible College student when one of my dad's cousins took me (by train) to see her. I'll never forget our late arrival, the rickety elevator (complete with an old black man who was the operator) and the small room where Aunt Thelma stayed while she studied. She has always seemed very smart to me. I still have the card she sent when I suffered the heartbreak of a failed marriage. The words “sometimes what seems to be the end, is really just the beginning” continue to resound and prove true in my life.

Aunt Carolyn is good at laughing, at accounting, at writing poetry, and at understanding other people¹s grief. She has endured what sometimes seems to be much more pain than any person should ever have to, but she always knows how to bounce back. Her advice many years ago is something I still practice.

“Go ahead and make a decision”, she said. “If you make a mistake, God will guide you in finding a solution.”

Aunt Ann's resume includes championing many causes. She is a woman with a passionate heart and a spirit of adventure. From feeding the hungry to cross country skiing, tennis and golf, she has shown me the importance of setting and reaching goals.

When my mother was 14 years old, Aunt Beth was born. Just ten years later I made my entrance into this family so in many ways she's been more like my older sister. I consider her to be one of my mentors. She has been supportive and encouraging in my quest to write. And when I think about the grandmother I want to be, I hope I am like her. She spends dedicated time with each of her grandchildren.

My father has one sister, Gloria. Very much like my grandmother, she loves pretty clothes and shoes. And, like grandmother, she has a big heart. There have been many outfits that have ended up in my closet when my coffers were very low.

As with all humanity, Dinah’s life did not escape pain. However, hopefully the love that she had known from her mother, aunts and the servant girls who were a part of her life, remained with her and helped during those treacherous days of her young adulthood when she was defiled (Genesis 34).

No life is without suffering. I am not an exception. This is not about the tears. It is about the faith and love of family, in this case my aunts. It is about blessings, support and encouragement from my five other mothers while I whisper a prayer that I’ll be like them and that you will as well.

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