CALGARY, CANADA: Finding Balance After the Affair

CALGARY, CANADA: Finding Balance After the Affair

Rings

My husband’s affair began after he received some really bad news from his Doctor. These things happen. I had the proof! Crumpled receipts from fancy restaurants and out of the way cafes; unanswered calls; and worst of all, excessive gym workouts after a long day at work.

At first I was angry, and I wanted to confront him, but I thought it might be better to see how far he would go. It was easy, and I can’t think of how long I played his game. I do know that it took every fiber of my being to not lash out and demand the truth. Instead, I forced something – I don’t know what it was –  back inside of me…smoothed it out and kept on going. (more…)

Salma (Canada)

An Imperfect Stepford Wife is what Salma describes herself as because she simply cannot get it right. She loves decorating, travelling, parenting,learning, writing, reading and cooking, She also delights in all things mischievous, simply because it drives her hubby crazy. Salma has 2 daughters and a baby boy. The death of her first son in 2009 was very difficult, however, after the birth of her Rainbow baby in 2010 (one day after her birthday) she has made a commitment to laugh more and channel the innocence of youth through her children. She has blogged about her loss, her pregnancy with Rainbow, and Islamic life. After relocating to Alberta with her husband in 2011 she has found new challenges and rewards- like buying their first house, and finding a rewarding career. Her roots are tied to Jamaica, while her hubby is from Yemen. Their routes, however, have led them to Egypt and Canada, which is most interesting because their lives are filled with cultural and language barriers. Even though she earned a degree in Criminology, Salma's true passion is Social Work. She truly appreciates the beauty of the human race. She writes critical essays on topics such as feminism and the law, cultural relativity and the role of women in Islam and "the veil". Salma works full-time, however, she believes that unless the imagination of a child is nourished, it will go to waste. She follows the philosophy of un-schooling and always finds time to teach and explore with her children. From this stance, she pushes her children to be passionate about every aspect of life, and to strive to be life-long learners and teachers. You can read about her at Chasing Rainbow.

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NEW JERSEY, USA: A Mother Named Ama

On March 13, my mother celebrated her 69th birthday.  I am thrilled to still have her in my life, and I cherish every moment we spend together.  You see, two years ago she was diagnosed with stage 3 ovarian cancer.

On the day she received her diagnosis, she was immediately admitted to the hospital.  We had no idea what to expect.  I was eight months pregnant at the time and could not stop crying, day and night.  My mother spent Christmas in the hospital, making it the worst Christmas EVER, then she had extremely invasive surgery which left her in the ICU for days.

Once she was strong enough to undergo chemotherapy, she completed six rounds over a period of about 5 months and was cancer-free.  In the spirit of celebrating her recent birthday, I want to honor her by sharing the incredible life she has lived.

My mother was born in 1942 in rural Spain.  Her mother suffered from tuberculosis and was 47-years-old at the time of my mother’s birth.   Due to complications associated with the birth, my grandmother died two days after my mother was born.  (more…)