How time flies, my first blog post was 2017 and ideas for blogging still somersault around in my head. On this calm Sunday in May 2025 it is Mother’s Day in Australia.
I am a mother and thoughts of my own dear mother and that of my aunts and women I know flash through my mind. I recall their varied roles in my life, and women who shape the lives of others in millions of families and societies around the world. It is possible to write about the wealth, poverty, injustices and generally low standing of women in most countries including Australia, but what is their true status? What is their role in the history of the universe?
In my opinion, one of the most powerful roles for women, in the world as we know it, is the eternal internal creation. While not ignoring the biodiversity of Mother Nature, without human females, women who give birth, there would be no world. There would be no evolution, there would be nothing ahead. Of course men play a role but generally stand back when events are underway.
Perhaps this creates jealousy? Why bigoted, misogynistic, cruel, political, rule-making men of our current world order put women and mothers at risk by keeping them out of sight, in second place, give them menial tasks, overlook females for promotion, make derogatory comments, portray them on television, in movies and books as the trivial second character, the support, the one answering phones, at home doing the laundry, tidying up or cooking dinner. You can add more diverse roles to the list but usually not a complete reversal although caring sharing life partners do exist.
In 1971 a childless Germaine Greer is quoted as saying: “Bringing up children is not a real occupation, because children come up just the same, brought up or not.” A rather shallow look at the future, I think.
With or without conception, the women of Mother Earth are versatile people. Today there are strong female roles and powerful women in all walks of life who do rise above. When they do, it’s a novelty in the press, on social media, and invariably a TV chat show host asks “How do you cope with a family and work?” A man’s world not an equal world yet.
Today I shout out Thanks Mum, Happy Mothers Day because without mothers there would be no living breathing humans in the world today. Including you and me.
💓 Gretchen Bernet-Ward 2025
NOTE: My opinion piece acknowledges birth mothers, first mothers, adoption, surrogacy, LGBTQIA, IVF, child reunification. Parenting is precious. 🌼
Call me timid (Neil Gaiman books scare me) but this is a ferociously upsetting fantasy story of an ancient Yew tree and an adolescent boy awash with fear, sadness, anger, and the unforgiveable nature of death.
Conor O’Malley’s mother is dying in hospital. Conor and his father and grandmother are not handling it well. One night Conor gets up and goes over to his bedroom window and looks out. A monstrous untameable Yew tree stands near his house, looking right back at him. It proceeds to raise a gnarled woody fist to punch through the wall of his bedroom. The monster says “I will tell you Three Stories. Three tales from when I walked before.” But Conor sends the monster away and it’s gone for the time being.
Of course it returns, laced with dark fantasy and symbolism, and eventually the Fourth Tale comes from twelve year old Conor himself. What does Conor and the reader learn from this? Many things. Note, I personally would not recommend either the book or movie for children of a young age, it could raise more fears than it can soothe. You may love it!
So that’s my short synopsis of a tense, wrenchingly sad story written by Patrick Ness about imagination and the monstrous fears within us. It contains school-yard violence, sweet Lily, ancient tree wisdom and modern day parenting which leaves Conor awash with misery, confusion and a bad temper for everyone apart from his sick mother.
This story could be shelved in the Fantasy/Horror section of a library except for its very serious topic and acutely observed symptoms of grief; a complicated boy lashing out at everyone, unable to alleviate his mother’s suffering nor deal with her impending death. Time grinds on regardless, Conor’s bossy grandmother arrives and nothing is as it seems. Allegory, clock metaphor, various telling moments.
As mentioned, I personally think this story is best read by an adult to younger children so questions can be answered. A guide book of sorts, reality is hard to understand, dying even harder to accept, but eventually it’s a bitter fact of life we all have to face. It’s up to the individual reader to find their own way through the story; ending with comfort, confusion or clarity?
To quote Families Magazine “This poster will help your kids to differentiate and identify the difference between being RUDE, being MEAN and BULLYING.”
The self-explanatory poster is one of several free downloads on the website of Families Magazine, an A4 glossy magazine printed every two months and distributed in public libraries and places where families are in Brisbane, Ipswich, Toowoomba, Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast, Australia.
Families Magazine says “Interactions with others can be confusing. Sometimes what is considered bullying, may in fact be something else? Bullying is a repetitive behaviour that is designed to intentionally hurt or belittle another person.”
All three behaviours are upsetting to a child, but bullying is the most destructive.
Thoughts Become Words 