Maria Rushe has a gentle reminder for you that you didn't actually have to achieve anything during lockdown, because you're amazing as you are.

I haven’t learned a new language. 

I haven’t made banana bread. 

I haven’t decluttered my house. 

I haven’t painted the house. 

I haven’t organised my life.

I haven’t sorted my garden.

I haven’t watched box sets.

I haven’t made a mood board.

I haven’t lost loads of weight. 

I haven’t found zen.

I haven’t had a calm and relaxing time. 

I haven’t caught up on the stuff I always thought I just needed “time” to get done. 

I haven’t used this time to research stuff or “better” myself.

I haven’t cut out caffeine or alcohol.

I haven’t found positives in every feckin moment.

I haven’t found that I LOVE zoom calls or quizzes.

I haven’t finished that novel I’m writing. 

I haven’t got the cleanest house ever.

I haven’t cooked wholesome meals every day.

I haven’t found harmony that was apparently missing from my life.

I haven’t learned loads about myself. 

Well actually, no.

That I HAVE done. 

I’ve learned that I’m a fricken machine.

A machine who is able to admit her weakness and fear and know that it is OK to be overwhelmed. 

A machine who kept her family relatively well, fed and feeling safe throughout a global pandemic. 

A machine who up until last week, worked more than full time at my job job while simultaneously being Mammy and Wife and keeping my kids entertained, fed and even someday, educated (I say this lightly).

A machine who has tried to fully support her other half as he fought to maintain our family’s business.

A machine who has been “fine” until the kids are in bed, when I’d then cry or rant. 

A machine who dealt with loss and fear and all of the anxiety and stress that came to us all with this shitstorm. 

A machine who has missed people and longed for interaction and normality.  

A machine who hid her own stress and fear from her babies to make sure that their fears were, and are, minimal.

Actually, I’m not a machine. 

I’m just a Mammy. 

I’m a me. 

And just like every one of you, I’ve had my good days and shit days and I know there’s more of both to come. 

But today is sunny and beautiful and so I’m raising a feckin glass to MYSELF and to each of you…

To all of us machines who don’t need to have done loads of shit that Instagram tells us to, to feel validated and strong.

It doesn’t matter if you’re riding out of this on a gilded unicorn, farting glitter and fablis and enlightened… or sliding out sideways, like a badger’s arse, clawing towards whatever finish line you’re aiming for, you are here and you are brilliant just as you are. 

You are not a machine. 

You are simply amazing. 

Cheers Ladybelles.

M x