By Kathleen Guthrie Woods
Over the past few years, as I’ve told strangers about how I ended up childfree, I’ve found that my openness has served as an invitation for other women to open up and candidly share their stories. I’ve heard from women who are overwhelmed by the demands of motherhood, who desperately wanted children and were unable to, who never wanted children, and who fall into every category in between.
I am humbled to be the recipient of their stories. But more than that, I’ve discovered that sharing stories has been part of a larger healing progress as we learn from each other’s experiences and take opportunities to offer compassion and support.
We see it every week here at LWB, and that’s why I want to introduce more storytelling through this column space. For what intrigues and inspires me more than anything else we have here is our stories, your stories, and the beautiful responses I read to those stories in the comments and forums.
On the new Our Stories page, you’ll find a downloadable questionnaire. In a simple Q&A format, you’ll be invited to share insights, experiences, advice, and encouragement. (Know that we will keep you anonymous.) We’ll do a bit of editing to make sure we cover a range of points of view and to keep posts to readable lengths, then we’ll run them as they fit.
I believe that in sharing our stories we offer each other tremendous gifts, including acceptance, awareness, and tips for healing. I believe that even though the details of our journeys will vary, you will recognize a soul sister in each story and you will know for certain that you are not alone.
Won’t you share your story with us?
Kathleen Guthrie Woods is a Northern California–based freelance writer. She is mostly at peace with her childfree status.
