It’s hard to believe nearly a year has passed since my last blog post. Life has been full—in an unusual way. Our youngest left for college, our son started his first job back east, and in between these milestones, I’ve continued to create and design with intention.
While Designs by Alina remains at the heart of my professional world, my pen has also found new inspiration on the pages of my poetry website, Penned by Alina. Writing has long been a passion, and poetry, in particular, has given me a space to reflect and create during this new chapter of life.
Transitions, especially those involving children leaving the nest, are always bittersweet. But I’ve found they can also serve as an enormous fountain of inspiration. This duality—of letting go while holding on to the beauty of the journey—is something I’ve poured into my poem, Divine Motherhood.
As I return to this space, I want to share something close to my heart. The poem below, Divine Motherhood, reflects the profound beauty of the most rewarding role in my life: being a mother.
Divine Motherhood
What lay before me
was an unparalleled gift—
This much was clear.
I vowed to release the universe
from another prayer’s burden,
to shower it instead
with my soul’s eternal grace.
Tiny fingers clinging to mine,
brand new lives unfolding
in the unfamiliar scent
of divine motherhood.
The bliss of marriage—
and miracle of twins
hard-won from a lifetime of struggle,
rendered them even more dear.
For all the dark feelings
that solitude harbored
wiped clean in an instant
with radiant light.
Magnanimous beyond measure,
fate gifted me anew,
a source of immense joy
though tinged with guilt
for this third beam of life.
Her innocence
swathed in strength from the start,
evoked the tenacity needed
for her to pen her own song.
Seasons danced
in unbridled shades of childhood,
weaving from the mundane
a tapestry of joy.
But nothing lasts forever
as the old adage goes.
The twins’ departure
to forge their own paths
left a void too immense
for my heart to withstand.
And yet her presence,
an apothecary of sorts,
offered a sense of reprieve,
delaying the inevitable.
I make good on my vow,
asking not for a gift—
But as the tender fabric
begins to fray,
do I falter by praying
to safeguard my child,
as she steps from my shadow
into her light?
You can explore more of my writing on Penned by Alina.
Thank you for continuing to support my journey. Whether through design, writing, or the connections we share, I am deeply grateful to have you along for the ride. Happy Holidays!
