Christine Kearney reflects on enduring bond with 88-year-old mother in opinion piece
Kearney, a journalist who has lived in four global cities, contrasts her rule-defying career with her mother's pragmatic Sydney suburban life in a new article
Sydney journalist Christine Kearney has published an opinion piece in The Guardian reflecting on the enduring connection between herself and her 88-year-old mother. The article explores the stark contrast in their personalities and lifestyles while emphasising that their relationship transcends these differences. Kearney describes her mother as a pragmatic Sydney suburbanite who values needle crafts and early bedtimes, whereas she identifies as a boisterous daughter who despises rules and has built a life around journalism and global travel.
Kearney, who is gay and has no children, notes that her life is defined by strong friendships, siblings, and reporting from conflict zones to high-profile events like the Oscars. This stands in sharp contrast to her mother, who grew up in the Sydney suburbs during post-Second World War austerity. Her mother, now 88, has been married to Kearney's father for 65 years and has dedicated herself to roles as a mother, grandmother, and business helper. The author highlights that her mother once sewed her own clothes in the 1950s due to financial constraints, a detail that underscores the generational gap in women's education, careers, and freedoms.
Despite their divergent paths, Kearney points to specific moments of support that define their bond. She recalls that after coming out as gay, her mother responded with a supportive letter stating, "I truly believe that it's the strongest people in life who are given the biggest challenges." Kearney notes that her mother dislikes the limelight and self-centred politics, contrasting this with the author's own career in conflict zones. In an age of look-at-me social media, her mother remains more interested in appearing uninteresting, a trait Kearney admires.
The piece concludes with a reflection on the importance of expressing gratitude while the mother is still alive, rather than waiting until after her death. Kearney and a friend discussed funerals and realised they should not wait to tell the world what their mother means to them. The author writes that if one becomes what one beholds, as William Blake wrote, then her mother embodies what it is to love. Kearney suggests that her mother's wisdom and selfless love will always hang in the closet of her soul, padded with care and kindness.