Author: Vera Berard

2016 SUMMER NEWS, AS WELL AS FALL AND WINTER ANNOUNCEMENTS

Since our return from holiday, I continue to enjoy crocheting. My crochet critter menagerie has grown to include two mythical unicorns, as well as four snails. Folk have been curious to know why, of all creatures, snails. Well, I value small creatures as much as large ones. I like snail symbolism too. Being one of few creatures that carry their spiral houses around with them, symbolically snails represent the cycle of life. Including finding one’s home within oneself, taking time to enjoy and make the best of life’s journey. Furthermore, snails are considered symbolic of fertility, abundance and things coming into fruition – what could be more apropos reminders to a midwife holding the space for women and babies and whose work requires patience and flexibility. (more…)

Who gets to leave a solo-midwifery practice and go away from home for an 8-week vacation? I am that fortunate being… When my husband decided that he wanted to spend a small retirement windfall on a trip back to our motherland (for his brother’s 70th birthday and to connect with our respective family members and old friends), in some of Africa’s beautiful and pristine wilderness areas. I had my doubts… ‘Could my practice be covered for that long? Could we afford the cost of vacation and covering a business?’. ‘This is important to me…’ he responded. Visiting Botswana’s Okavango has been a life-long desire of his and an experience that I agreed could easily be added to my bucket list. The African bush and wild life is a love in my life too. I also recognized that we needed time together and that we shared a desire to connect with our roots. (more…)