A Job Out-of-This World 

Last Friday my husband and I took our son to the Kennedy Space Center for the last day of his Spring Break. Although we are not very fond of theme parks of any kind—big lines and crowds are not our favorite thing in the world–we wanted our little boy to get a closer look into space, which is according to him, the home of the Transformers.

This was my third time visiting the facility since 2005 and yet, once again, I was amazed at the human race’s accomplishments in space exploration. I am kind of a nerd when it comes to science now even though I hated it in school.

As I stood in front of the Atlantis Space Orbiter—one of the four space shuttles around the US— I couldn’t help but think, how can these scientists and engineers from NASA envision something so great and it be completely invisible for me. I saw the marks of time and distance on its surface, and thought about all the crew members that were so exceptionally special—or crazy–to ride it.

Science and math were my nightmare subjects in school. That is the reason why I chose journalism over mechanical engineering for my major in college. My brain scrambles in front of abstract equations of letters and signs that look like insects smashed with a fly swatter. Although I took algebra, physics, and calculus in high school, honestly, I can’t remember anything from my teenage years besides goofing around with my friends and cheerleading.

Therefore, I worry when I think about my son’s future mathematical school work. He is still in VPK, so his math problems involve numbers that I can count with my two hands. But, I know from my girlfriend’s experiences with her older kids, that teachers love to puzzle parents with homework that has the potential to become a Greek tragedy.

All I know is that my hubby will have to navigate math homework once it begins to get more complex. He is a human calculator and can solve equations and percentages with just a thought. On the contrary, the only math problems that I can solve in my head are figuring out how many pounds I have to lose to avoid looking like a killer whale in a bathing sun for the upcoming Summer 2016, or how much money I have to save to buy my next Louis Vuitton.

Nonetheless, without a physics major, I have defied gravity by holding a giant baby, a diaper bag and grocery bags without falling on my face. I have had to learn to think in a relative way with multiple dimensions to keep up with my son’s imagination. And, I have had to rescue the lost toys out of the “black hole” where he hides them.

The job of being a mom moves through time and space in a different way, just like light. The days are long but the years are short just like in the closest planet to the Sun, Mercury.

If anything, motherhood is a job of constant evolution and innovation. I solve mind-blowing problems between intergalactic toy heroes and can create an entire play area using nothing but the things in my purse or kitchen spatulas and spoons. MacGiver has nothing on me.

Motherhood is definitely, a job out-of-this world, and it requires high doses of alien strength and love. No wonder, the belief that women are from Venus.

Thanks for reading and sharing.

Xiomara Spadafora

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