I am

I recently did one of those Ancestry DNA tests where you spit into a container, send it off and a few months later it comes back with where your ancestry comes from. Have you done one? It’s quite interesting I think, it came back with no surprises from me, backing up where I thought my family had originated from: Scandinavia (Norway) and Ireland. One of my friends who thought that their family was from a particular part of Europe though was surprised to find 0% origin from that country. It bought up a whole range of issues and discussions in her family – perhaps it was dodgy? Who knows.

I loved this little “I am” poem that came back from School last week. A perfect little snapshot of Miss H at 7.5 years old.

Isn’t it precious? She’s a deep one that Harps. No wonder she can’t sleep at night with all that worrying. Got me wondering about my own I am poem at almost 40 years old…stream of consciousness without thinking too much.

I am tired.
I wonder when I will ever get decent sleep again.
I hear the screeching of my children at each other.
I see a beautiful crisp winter’s afternoon.
I want more hours in the day.
I pretend to myself everyday that it’s OK to not exercise.
I feel loved.
I touch people every day. But not like that. That would be weird.
I worry about the world my kids will grow up in.
I cry about things that I can’t seem to fix.
I understand that 2 year olds are complex and very cute.
I say too many things to my family every day.
I try to be a good Mum.
I hope that everyone in my family feels happy and loved and safe.
I am me.

So tell me, who are you? Copy and paste the questions and see what comes back without thinking too much, you might be surprised by what you see.

I am
I wonder
I hear
I see
I want
I pretend
I feel
I touch
I worry
I cry
I understand
I say
I try
I hope
I am

How’s your I am poem look?
Done a DNA test too? Who did you come back as?

Comments

  1. Ellouise says

    I am ready for bed
    I wonder if I’ll clean the house tomorrow or put it off another day
    I hear the fridge buzzing
    I see unfinished work and an empty plate
    I want clarity
    I pretend I know what I’m doing
    I feel tired
    I touch everything
    I worry a lot
    I cry when I need to
    I understand more that others
    I say shh too much
    I try my hardest
    I hope I can try harder, though
    I am a mother, above all.

  2. I am hungry
    I wonder if my unborn baby will have red hair
    I hear taps and pipes clunking across the unit block
    I see nails that need to be trimmed
    I want a solid sleep in a clean hotel with buffet breakfast to follow
    I pretend I’m more energetic than I feel
    I feel like wrapping my family in a big red bow
    I touch my daughters marshmallow cheeks
    I worry about dying young
    I cry over ads for public transport (pregnancy hormones, or just the result of living in Sydney?)
    I understand that we’re all trying to work it out one day at a time
    I say ‘no worries’ too much
    I try to keep on top of the laundry
    I hope it works out just fine
    I am pretty bloody lucky

    We did Ancestry DNA for Xmas just passed. I found out I’m way more Irish than I imagined (didn’t even know I had any Irish in me!), and my terribly caucasian husband has 1% Senegalese in him! He now chooses to play the race card whenever it suits his mood!

  3. I love Harps poem, she is so deep and worries and thinks of others. So smart for a 7 year old. Is that her writing too? She spells so well. She is beautiful! I remember you blogged about her writing and reading when she just started school and I was very impressed. .
    My 10 year old son is very deep and beautiful like that too and always worries about things and why we are here and why we will die and has been a deep thinker since he was very little and could ask questions. I tell him we will die but those that we leave behind will always have a little bit of who we are. We are lucky to have children and pass things on to the next generation be it good or bad things (hopefully only good things are passed on!).

    I would love to do the DNA testing and do my partner’s too, I know I have Eastern European -Polish, Ukranian and Jewish blood, as well as Italian and Northern Argentinian Indigenous blood. My kids on the other hand with their dad would also have Northern European (English and probably Irish and Scottish blood) and also Australian Aboriginal blood. I would love to see how their DNA comes out. I may get the DNA kit for my partner for his coming birthday!
    Its funny that not only who we are is in our blood but where our past generations were born and lived. Very crazy stuff!

  4. Oh Harps….what a deep little human she is.
    I am very scattered right now.
    I wonder if I’ll feel like I’m enough.
    I hear my kids talking
    I see some time for myself coming up
    I want to have more patience
    I pretend I can do it all when really I can’t
    I feel completely helpless most days
    I touch my family every day. Sometimes I feel touched out!
    I worry all the fucking time!
    I cry when I think about dying before I’m ready.
    I understand the days are long but the years are lightening fast.
    I say words I shouldn’t
    I try to do better each day
    I hope I can be the parent I want to be
    I am never enough but also too much.

  5. I am so fucking tired
    I wonder about the world my boys will live in
    I hear the dishwasher and Grover still not asleep
    I see everything. Except anything written too small or too far away. Hashtag OLD.
    I want financial security
    I pretend I’m going to eat well today
    I feel all the feelings all the time
    I touch my face far too much
    I worry about everything
    I cry often
    I understand that sometimes all anything needs is the passage of time
    I say lots of lovely things to people
    I try to be the best person I can be
    I hope I make a difference
    I am pretty darn happy.

  6. I am a mum
    I wonder how my kids will turn out
    I hear Eadie talking all day
    I see that my kids are close
    I want them to be happy
    I pretend I’m keeping it together
    I feel lonely
    I touch and cuddle my kids a lot
    I worry about what it all means
    I cry when I’m frustrated and losing my shit
    I understand they will have each other when I’m gone
    I say ‘oh for f–k’s sake’.. a lot
    I try to be a good mum
    I hope I get better at it
    I am what I am

  7. I am excited about tonight’s Nashville concert
    I wonder if my son will go to sleep ok while I’m at the concert
    I hear birds chirping
    I see blue skies
    I want a bit more time most days
    I pretend I’m organised
    I feel happy
    I touch my wee boy with hugs
    I worry about my boy
    I cry when anyone else cries
    I understand we’re all different
    I say it’s ok a lot
    I try to be more chilled out
    I hope I’m good enough
    I am blessed

  8. I am cold
    I wonder whether we will get to sleep through the night tonight
    I hear the kettle boil – beloved husband is making me tea
    I see in the dark bedroom where the two little humps are asleep
    I want a piece of chocolate with my tea
    I pretend I’m much more on top of things that I really am
    I feel content (but my nose is cold)
    I touch my knitting — little present for a new baby
    I worry that I’ll never get through the marking that was supposed to already be done
    I cry infrequently – which is a relief these days
    I understand nothing – never will!
    I say what I think
    I try to be happy as much as I can
    I hope that my children understand that all the decisions we’ve made for them are well intentioned
    I am generally content

  9. I am in bed doing this
    I wonder if I’ll be ok after surgery
    I hear silence
    I see gentle light near my bedside
    I want good health again
    I pretend I am liking where we live some of the time
    I feel loved
    I touch my ageing legs & arms & see my late mum’s
    I worry a LOT
    I cry quite a bit lately
    I understand that I’ve had a great career in education & i will never regret it
    I say too much sometimes
    I try to be a loving wife
    I hope to be well again soon
    I am glad to be here commenting after reading Harper’s and everyone’s words!

  10. That poem of harpers is gold beth!
    She is such a sensitive soul and very poetic in her sensibilities.
    Writing to be encouraged there i think!
    I am older znd hopefully wiser
    I wonder about the state of the world
    I hear the birds singing their tunes
    I see much beauty in nature
    I want to keep evolving
    I pretend I’m young
    I feel loved
    I touch people
    I worry about too many things
    I cry when i have to
    I understand me and my limitations
    I say what i need to say
    I try to be me
    I hope the people in the world improve relations
    I am glad to be alive
    Thankyou harper!

  11. I am tired and happy
    I wonder why people hate
    I hear music
    I see where things should be
    I want to eat dinner
    I pretend very rarely
    I feel hungry
    I touch very little
    I worry about being a good parent
    I cry when I’m alone
    I understand myself
    I say happy fun time
    I try to do my best
    I hope my sons never see war
    I am very lucky

  12. I am above all, myself, but behind all other things, myself.
    I wonder if I can do better.
    I hear the fire, the creaking house, my husband assasinating someone on silent because I hate xbox noise. Click click.
    I see the newly organised games shelf already not that organised. A nude fuzzy felt man is swinging dangerously.
    I want for nothing but want constantly.
    I pretend not to react to my family.
    I feel content.
    I touch sheepskin with my bare toes.
    I worry at three am about minutiae and at three pm about household chores and forget to worry about big things.
    I cry when I am angry! And it undermines me! And when I am sad and it speaks wet volumes.
    I understand what motivates people. But when I dont I am at sea.
    I say everything I think.
    I try not to say everything I think. I try hard at Montessori playgroup to do better. But I am just not methodical enough.
    I hope my kids live life full of joy.
    I am living a life full of joy.

    Harper’s work is really lovely.

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