Today while driving a new (or at least it’s new to me) song came on the radio and caught my attention. The song is titled Tough and it’s sung by Craig Morgan, a country music singer. I immediately fell in love with it.

The song talks about a woman who is described as being tough. In the first verse we learn that the woman juggles her children, her husband, and still does all the every day things. She’s described as tough for appearing to handle it with grace and ease. In the second verse, the woman is diagnosed with cancer. She’s described as tough for the way she handles it and comforts others. Although I do not have cancer, I think I can still relate. Cancer is a life altering wake up call for many people. Adoption is my wake up call.

This part of the chorus is the part I like the best, the part that speaks to me.

She’s strong, pushes on, can’t slow her down
She can take anything life dishes out

Being a birthmother is no easy task, but I try to handle it the best way that I can. It’s an emotional roller coaster. Sometimes I feel OK yet other times the pain can be totally consuming. I do like to think I am strong and tough for the way I have handled adoption and becoming a birthmother. Of course, there are days that are very hard and I do not feel very strong at all. There are times I’d love to crawl up in the fetal position, stay in bed, and bawl all day, but I don’t. I can’t. I won’t allow myself. Instead, I crash my own pity party and force myself to start being productive again.

I continually push myself to move forward in life, to keep on going, and persevere. I continually tell myself “be strong, be tough.”

Other songs I’ve written about:
One More Day
Lullaby in Blue