The breathtaking, feathery, pink icon.When you see a flamingo, you can immediately feel the sun shining on your skin while you are sipping a frozen cocktail out of a coconut with an umbrella on top. You can feel yourself lounging in a hammock, relaxing while you hear the sounds of the waves in the distance. Flamingos are oftentimes the epitome of tropical vacations, endless relaxation, and playful luxury, but there is so much more to these beautiful, fabulous, icons.
More than just the sometimes, tacky, lawn decor, flamingos carry powerful symbolism across various cultures and spiritual practices. Within nature, flamingos are social birds that live among large colonies. They serve as reminds of interconnectedness of life collective strength of communities, and the importance of keeping an even keel amidst life's tumultuous waves. The symbolism continues into beauty and balance, potential and romance. The effortless grace and ability to stand on one leg, inspiriting strength in the natural wonders of the world.
Continuing on, flamingos also have a strikingly similar resemblance to the lives of mothers. Like mothers (human in kind), flamingos experience a process of physical and emotional transformation during their nesting period, when they are taking care of their flock, their babies. It is said that they lose their color during their critical nesting stage due to the hormonal response, thus pigmentation decreasing. This causes the birds' feathers to turn from their iconic, vibrant pink color to that of duller shade. When flamingos, both male and female, are in the season of raising their young babies, and feeding them crop milk, they are drained of energy and nutrients. They give so much of their food to their offspring, that their pink coloring can full or even disappear- it is even said that some can revert to black or white!
The same can be said in regard to postpartum mothers due to their hormonal imbalances caused by both pregnancy and breastfeeding. We, as mamas, can start to lose our "vibrant colors" as we enter the journey of motherhood, full of love and joy. Alongside the butterflies and rainbows, there are challenges we all face, thus creating an oftentimes, beautiful chaos.
Similarly to the iconic and fabulous, flamingos, all the beautiful and wonderful mothers, change after their babies.As you embrace the season of motherhood, the love that you feel is unlike anything you've experienced before. However, challenges are normal, and you are never alone. Everyone's experiences are different, but the difficulties, can be shared among all! I shared before, about the postpartum blues and my postpartum journey, and if you find yourself in that season of life, I encourage you to read Just a Little Sad.
It is important that regardless of which season of motherhood you are in, that you remember that you are not alone. It is okay to feel what you are feeling, and more importantly, that you give yourself grace and be patient with yourself. To take care of yourself while you care for your baby, toddler, child, teen. That you take time out of each, busy and full day, to do something special for yourself, like a relaxing bath, a bite or plate full of your favorite treat.
As the flamingo babies leave the nest and become more self-sufficient, the flamingo mamas' hormones normalize and their color returns. And the same applies to us, human mamas! We regain our color, our, vivid pink.
It is easier said than done, but it is important that we never let those hard days win. That we never allow for those hard days to knock you down too hard! Know that you are blessed, remarkable and so strong! You are such an amazing mama, and your babies are so lucky to be blessed, with a mama like you!
Motherhood is like the story of a flamingo.
Both go through a phase full of selfless sacrifice, devotion, and love.
Be vibrant and embrace that color, mama!
XO, Kelleen
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