Mothers

Over the weekend, I "heard" my mother come out of my mouth. I wonder how many other people have that experience, hearing themselves saying something their mother would have said. Mothers have such a fundamental place in our mental lives- I'll bet lots of others "hear" their mothers long after their deaths.

It made me think again about something I've wondered recently: what happens in a community and a society when the mothers/parents are gone, and the children don't have the security of their love and protection, as well as their teachings about how to relate to others, about cultural norms, -their socializing influence. Many of the AIDS orphans have mother surrogates, often the grandmothers, but so many don't.
I wonder what future history will teach us about that.

We leave tomorrow on this great adventure!