Tryptich on being a Woman
A tryptich (pronounced trip tick) is a three panel painting where the central panel is the most important one. I went to the NOMA today to see the Femme exhibit there which is a roundup of French paintings depicting womanhood. The tryptich was the first painting and it said it depicted the life of a woman – the important stages – the first was of a mother with her daughter – the beginning. The middle one was of a woman being whispered to by a man/nymph about love – the last was the woman sitting in the park with her dog (a symbol of faithfulness) reflecting on her life.
Interesting that it did not choose to show the woman becoming a mother – particularly on mother’s day – and that the central painting was about love – while that occupied most of my life – but it was the depiction of the woman in the park with her dog that tugged at me. Wisdom only comes with years – a pity.
Today mom and I went to La Vita to have mother’s day lunch – late – and we sat with Moosey, Fatma, Suleyman, Yasar, Yasemin, and Deedum. Then Marty, Mark and Renee showed up and sat at the next table. Lunch went well – we laughed and talked – but when we were getting in the car mom got very sick and she turned almost green – I’m not sure how much longer she can go on with the stress of her job, the endless stream of cigarettes she smokes, the drinking – 71 is young, but for my mother she is old beyond her years.
A friend writes that she hopes next year I am celebrating mother’s day next year – so far I have not heard from my baby’s mama – and chosen not to pursue her – it would be difficult for me to give up my baby so I want her to make this decision and not feel any undue pressure.
Life is a constant giving and taking – is it not?
Happy Mother’s Day to the all the mothers in the world!