Mothers and children stand in a line, waiting their turn at the window to turn in their papers. The paperwork isn’t for anything fun, it’s not for anything they want to be a part of but it’s something they have found they need to be a part of.
Mothers occupy themselves on their phones, feeling slightly embarrassed to be in this line while using their smart phone, but the truth is the phone is not the latest model, and they got it for free with their latest upgrade. As a mother of three children, having a phone so they can reach her isn’t just a priority, it’s a necessity. She stares at the screen of her phone desperately trying to avoid being drawn into a conversation with anyone, trying to pretend she is anywhere but here.
The kids, on the other hand, stand as if they are awaiting the firing squad. Heads down. Eyes averted. Trying to make themselves as small as they possibly can. Hoping and praying they don’t see anyone they know, and more importantly that no one they know sees them. A few hours ago they were happily playing a video game, and now they find themselves here standing in the line no one wants to be in.
Photo from Flickr
I was tagged a few days ago to participate in the “I feel beautiful” challenge that is going around on Facebook. If you haven’t seen this particular Facebook meme it works like this, a friend uploads 5 pictures of herself that make her feel beautiful, and she tags 5 friends to do the same thing.
It’s only in the more recent years that I have fully accepted that I am a 