Applicant #37: Timara Freeman-Young

Timara Freeman-Young is a mom from Seattle.

My video application:

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A bit about me:

I AM like other Seattle moms in that parenting is my top priority. I try to be thoughtful and fun without taking myself too seriously. I'm into coop preschool, promoting critical thinking skills, organic food and civic involvement (as long as I can squeeze in a pedicure and a latte every once in a while).

I AM INSPIRED BY things that help me see the world differently, like art, and my child, and people who smile like sunshine.

I ADMIRE Pablo Neruda, a curious nature, my friends, Iris Dement, Oprah, innovation, generosity and daring. Also, my sister.

When I’m stuck, I SEEK SOLUTIONS FROM Martha Beck, my friends, Buddha, dancing, my husband, my laptop and (on a rare and beautiful day) a good nap.

YOU SHOULD KNOW that I strive to be fearless and kind and to laugh at my mistakes. Sometimes I forego washing dishes for an episode of The Bachelorette – and sometimes happens a lot around here. My girlfriends would warn you to not invite me over to your house unless you are up for unsolicited feng shui tips or a good cry.

I BELIEVE in being our best selves, in supporting our friends with all of our hearts, in dreaming big, playing hard and in doing work that is good for the soul.

My blog post:

Why Every Mom is a Rock Climber

I've never been rock climbing.

Where I grew up, in Colorado, there is a road just outside of town that rises quickly from the base of Flagstaff Mountain to its peak - using countless switchbacks to make the most efficient path from meadow to sky. Bikers love this road (though I never understood why) as do rock climbers (which makes a lot more sense to me).

On one side, the road tightly hugs the dusty wall of the mountain, on the other side, it drops free and clear to the valley; the fall only occasionally interrupted by rocks the size of small buildings. When driving, it is common to see people suspended from ropes against the wall, sometimes hollering to their people, but mostly just doing the business of rock climbing with full concentration and, though it vexes me, apparent joy.

Unless I find myself on a reality show someday, the chances of me ever ascending a rock wall (without a giant cheetah growling behind me) are pretty slim but, if I do find myself in that predicament, I feel pretty self assured that I will scale that cliff with the best of them. After all, I've raised a toddler, so there's pretty much nothing that I can't handle or do. Here's why I think parenting has prepared us for climbing sheer rock walls, or worse.

We Can Take the Pain Once we've experienced the insistent, unmitigated "sensation" of labor, or of seeing one's child hurt, we understand that pain is tolerable; any of us could climb a rock wall with bleeding rope burns and bad shoes if it means knowing we can keep our child safe.

We are Team Players Whether we're researching school options, looking for the right booster seat or wondering if our marriage will survive toddlerhood, it is other moms who keep us informed and laughing. Once the first child arrives, all pettiness and competition take their leave and we have got each other’s backs. Seriously, if I do ever find myself suspended from a rope on the side of a mountain, there had better be a mother at the other end of it.

Fear Cannot Stop Us For real, from conception to graduation, is there a single moment when we're not (secretly) trembling in our boots? The fear of climbing a rock wall pales in comparison to what we feel the first time we think we've lost our child in public.

We are Resourceful Like the rock climber who can gain a foothold from a grain of sand, moms can make almost anything work to their advantage. We can turn a car ride into a party, a can of tuna into a meal, and a zip tie into just about anything.

Parenting is an extreme sport; it requires patience, savvy and a good bit of heart. Fortunately for us, we're all up for the job. And when we feel like the ground is a little shaky beneath our feet, we can rest assured that we've got a good hold on each other’s ropes.

Timara