Friday, February 3, 2012

The Menarche Diaries: Jenni's First Period


The Menarche Diaries:
 
Jenni's First Period

 I do not remember the actual moment of first blood. I do remember having this instinct to be gentle with myself. I wanted to be curled up in a dimly lit room with incense and a candle burning and something yummy to eat and drink.

 I had back cramps and also wanted something warm for my back. I was made fun of and mocked for wanting a hot pack for my cramps (by my mother). I was feeling down about not having a menstruation celebration. I was grieving that no one around me valued this moment. My boyfriend and brother said I must have PMS. It has been so long since I thought about that moment in my life. Thanks for the reflection.
 ~Jenni Snedden

1 comment:

Journey of Young Women said...

I think it's wonderful that you had the intuition that it was a moment for your to be celebrated in community. So perhaps you grieved its absence. I viewed it as "a fact of life", and was pretty emotionally flat about it. The main message from my mom (and eventually others) was to make sure it stayed hidden in every way.