I came across this photo on my friend Paala's blog. She writes a lot about breast-feeding and birthing issues. It's a shame that we have come so far away from our sense of selves that breast-feeding and birthing are even considered "issues". Both are the most primitive and instinctual acts that all of us experience in one form or another. What could be more basic, . . . we are born and then we are nourished.
I found myself very moved by this photo. I was actually thinking about it at 3 in the morning when I was up feeding my son, all cozy and comfortable in my bed. I am such a blessed woman. I felt the need to write about it, thank you Paala for bringing this to my attention.
For me, this photo really touches on so many things. I look at both their emaciated bodies in awe, it shows me that life really struggles hard to continue on, even when our bodies are underfed and malnourished, kind of like a weed that pushes through concrete. Life is amazing like that. Without our will or control, it still moves forward, until it doesn't any more. I am humbly reminded of how powerless I am. Sigh. This life!
Seeing this baby drink from his or her mother's breast warms my heart. A mother, who may or may not even be producing milk for her child, due to her own malnutrition, still tries her best to give what she can to her child. How beautiful is that. Even if the child isn't getting any food from the mother, he or she is still getting the bonding experience of nursing and being with his/her mama. In my opinion, breast-feeding is the one of the most intimate experiences a mother can physically have with her child, right up there with carrying the child and birthing it.
I don't understand why breast-feeding has become such an issue. Why is it that people judge others for where they breast-feed or how long they breast-feed? Who cares? It's not like breast-feeding mama's are heinously flashing their boobs in public, most of the time, it's very discrete and most of the breast is covered up by the babies head. You see more "T + A" at the local ice-cream shop when the teenage girls come out in their cleavage showing crop-tops and the guys are wearing their baggy-ass sagging jeans! I just don't get it. Would a person that harasses a woman in the US for publicly breast-feeding also harass the woman in the picture above?? Why do people care so much what others do about such a personal thing?
As you can see, this photo brings up a lot. Not to mention, my first instinct, which is people should not be starving like that. There could be enough food in this world for everybody, if it was somehow managed better and not wasted, but that's a whole other blog post. In honor of "World Breast-feeding Week" (August 1-7th), I share with you one of the most touching breast-feeding photos I have come across. There is a lot to be grateful for people, let's concentrate on what's important and stop sweating over the small stuff. Peace.
There is enough Jessica. The question is why is this happening in 2012 when people here in the U.S.A. are plagued by a growing number of 'grossly obsese' children. "Life out of Balance." Thank you for posting this photo. I too am struck by the connection of mother and child and how what ever THAT IS...that moves through us as the animating agent has the ability to caring on inspite of adversities.
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