spits out the nourishing good food you have prepared for her； stamps her little foot and announces that she hates you。
If you were a sheep； this is when you’d decide that time has e for weaning； turn your back on the offspring and enjoy chewing your grass in peace； without someone tugging at your udder。
We； of course； can’t do that。 Our children need us and will continue to do so； long after the maternal bond starts to give。
To love them just as much can be a challenge。 But this is where we start to learn from our young： lessons of patience； empathy and forbearance。
Being a mother is no longer easy。 But it does bring its own rewards。
Once I found myself in an air emergency。 Before attempting to crash…land； we had to spend an hour circling to burn up excess fuel。
It was a very long hour。 The stranger in the seat next to me held my hand and told me his whole life was passing before him。
My own mind was following a more morbid course； picturing my funeral； pondering whether there would be enough left of me to put in a coffin。
Then another image broke through； the agonising thought my unconscious had been fighting to suppress： the toddler I had left behind； the image of him ing into our bedroom in the morning； getting into his mother’s bed to start the day with a cuddle。
I saw him entering this room day after day； with a bed that remained empty； where he would never again feel his mother’s arms wrapped around his warm little body。
It was then that I realised the terrible encumbrance of parental love。 How it keeps us fettered to this life； held to ransom； so that we can’t even die gracefully； without our hearts being broken。
Since that day； I have only one prayer for myself： that I may live long en