A New Season

This is a photograph of three people and a harp.

I was 36 weeks pregnant with twins (they were born two days later). This was my 4th pregnancy in 6 years.

It took me a while to understand how I could build on my years of music and performance while fully embracing my new life. More specifically, it took two short books by Austin Kleon, How to Steal Like an Artist and Show Your Work!.

You see, I am beyond delighted to be the mother of five little girls 6 and under. Every day is an adventure (an adventure that usually includes lots of spontaneous dancing). I love helping my husband to realise our family vision. I love teaching harp in a garden studio at the end of the world.

But in the back of my mind, I’ve felt a tad guilty that I wasn’t doing some of the things I used to do, like

• playing the harp for hours every day
• doing lots of gigs and concerts
• travelling the world sharing harp music

It wasn’t that I missed those things. Far from it. But sometimes I felt like I was letting down the team, in the harpist/artist/musician department.

It took Austin’s books to let me in on a secret I should have known: I’m in a new season. I’m a different kind of person. I don’t have to be out there putting in long hours on the road, or selling myself as a bright young thing (I never liked that part of it, anyway).

Because I have a different story to tell now. I have the thoughts and gifts of a woman who has been making music for decades. And I’d like to share them with you.

Because mothers share.