Hello again! Thanks for joining me. With this being Mother’s Day, today’s podcast is all about moms. Or at least my mom.

Mother’s Day is hard for me. The fact that it falls in the very same time frame as Mental Health Awareness month makes it even harder.

Anne Lamott one of my favorite authors said it best in an article she once wrote, sharing her reasons on why she hates Mother’s Day. She wrote: “It celebrates the great lie about women: That those with children are more important than those without.”

I’ve regretted, at times, not having had children – just as much as I’ve rejoiced that I don’t have children. I’ve felt “less than” other women because I don’t have children – just as much as I’ve felt more empowered than other women because I don’t have children. So as much as I agree with Anne Lamott, I also have come to disagree. Just depends on what I’m feeling in the moment – and I’ve evolved enough to know that I can feel both and it’s ok – it’s not a sign of a split personality disorder. LOL

But part of why Mother’s Day is such a struggle for me is because I do feel robbed AND I feel as if my mom was robbed...

If this episode resonates with you, let me know. I'd love to hear your story, too.

A storyteller at heart who built a career in writing, media & marketing, Paolina Milana is grateful for the magic AND the madness she's experienced. Her roots are entangled with mental illness and taking on caregiving roles -- something she has come to realize is not unique to her; rather, it seems to be common on several levels among others, especially the high-functioning women who from the outside looking in seem to have it all together.

Madness To Magic brings to listeners stories of real world encounters with what we all experience and yet feel shamed to keep silent. Embracing ALL of us is key to tapping into our own power to make all things possible.

Special thanks to the creators of the beautiful instrumental you hear during this podcast - Philippa Dowding & Allister Thompson - Original song “Sarah Tiptoes” from their album BIRCHES. Also love to the guy who's the master behind this podcast's production and audio engineering -- Joseph Dean Edwards.