Becoming the Noun

On the day before Columbus Day this October, I drove from Tulsa, OK to Bartlesville, OK . The credit union I was working with was hosting an all day learning session for their team. I had the opportunity to speak on innovation and how we can solve human problems and drive stronger business results when we see the world through other human beings’ eyes. As I often do when I drive, I listened to a podcast. The podcast featured the magnificent actress Ellen Burstyn . In the conversation, the host, Anna Sale , explored a bit about motherhood and talked about how as a mom you “do the verb to become the noun.” I imagined the mothering that I’ve done so far, especially in the early days when MacKenzie was born and how intense it was. It never ended. It consumed me. As hard as we had worked to have her, I worried I couldn’t handle it. As hard as that is to type, the days were endless and when she cried I often had no idea what she wanted. I was also so fiercely independent and determined t