Eli Raphael Reflects on Her 'Paradoxical Mother' and the Complexity of Loving Someone with Mental Health Struggles
By
Eli Raphael
The bagel they save for the regulars. Don't skim, savour.
Summary
A personal essay by Eli Raphael reflecting on her complex relationship with her mother, whom she describes as a "paradoxical mother" — someone whose brilliance and creativity coexist with mental health struggles. Raphael reads her mother's journal from after her divorce, exploring the labyrinthine nature of loving someone whose brain is both a gift and an adversary. The essay offers a nuanced, non-traditional Mother's Day tribute that acknowledges pain, love, and contradiction.
Key quotes
· 3 pulledMany Mother's Day essays are about good mothers. Some are about not-so-good mothers. This one is about something more labyrinthine: the paradox of the mother whose ability to me
I read my mother's journal recently, her handwriting creeping across the pages, teenage in its unguardedness, words galloping faster than thoughts, morphing into a Dalí sketch of diagonal loops.
the paradox of the mother whose brain is her own worst enemy
You might also wanna read
Growing Up as David Foster Wallace's Sister: A Personal Reflection on Legacy and Memory
A deeply personal essay about Amy Wallace's experience growing up as the sister of the late author David Foster Wallace. It explores the bur
thesmallbow.com·14d ago:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(641x0:643x2)/jane-park-80s-family-tout-050826-3846c6a345134298846cff7035c1fc0f.jpg)
Jane Park on Parenting Without a Village: How the Internet Became Her Guide to Motherhood
In an exclusive essay for PEOPLE, author Jane Park reflects on her journey into motherhood without a traditional support system or parental
people.com·22d ago
Stoicism and Overthinking: How Marcus Aurelius' Private Writings Offer Ancient Tools for Modern Anxiety
This article from "The Examined Life" newsletter (Issue #4) explores Stoic philosophy through the lens of Marcus Aurelius, who wrote his fam
stvrrll1ght.substack.com·4h ago
Opinião: Feliz de quem encontra a sua matilha — Giovana Madalosso reflete sobre pertencimento e identidade
The article is a personal opinion piece by Giovana Madalosso reflecting on feeling out of place in her own family. She describes growing up
mla.bs·18h ago
A Foreign Correspondent Reflects on His First Job Delivering Newspapers
Peter Hessler reflects on his first job in journalism as a newspaper delivery boy for the Columbia Missourian in 1979, starting at age 5 AM
newyorker.com·22h ago
The AI Productivity Paradox: Why Engineers Are More Exhausted Despite AI Tools
The article explores the paradox of AI productivity tools leading to increased exhaustion rather than reduced workload. Written by an AI inf
siddhantkhare.com·22h ago