Craig Blankenhorn/Warner Bros. Pictures
I just went to see Sex and the City 2 with my best friend and loved it -- and one scene in particular has stuck with me. First, I should say I've been a fan since the series first premiered on HBO in 1998: I had just moved from Boston to New York, I was around the same age of the characters, I was single and focused on dating and career, and I, too, happened to have three best girlfriends.
Years later, when I met the man I would eventually marry and moved to Westchester, I experienced the same angst Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) did when she moved from Manhattan to Brooklyn. I felt like I had so much in common with those four women (sans the fabulous couture), and after the latest installment, I still do.
The SATC2 scene that stood out was about "mom confessions." Miranda and Charlotte (Kristen Davis) sat together at a bar, drinks in hand, trading some of the ups and downs they'd experienced as mothers. I have a 2-year-old and a 4-year-old, and I consider myself a devoted, loving, hands-on mom. During this scene, though, I identified with some of the less flattering feelings about motherhood. Miranda confessed that she loves her son but can’t imagine feeling fulfilled without her career. On Sunday nights I sometimes can’t wait until Monday morning rolls around. I can drop my kids at school, go to the office and be an adult.
After a big swig of her drink, Charlotte confesses she's tired all the time and sometimes feels a need to get away. I once hid the coffee beans on a Saturday morning just so I could run a quick “errand” to go get more. I drove to the convenient store at 15 mph and basked in a rare moment of freedom. It felt so wonderful to hear my feelings and thoughts validated from characters I identify with. (This scene is so authentic, it had to have been written by a mother, I remember thinking.) What was most interesting: Seeing two totally different women come together and realize that they had similar fears, doubts and complaints about motherhood, but that it is okay to have those feelings and still be a great mom.
I hope this mom moment can serve as a springboard for other moms to talk candidly about their real feelings. So many of the women I know love to talk about the joys of motherhood but have trouble talking about how hard and lonely it can be. It would be great if this fictional moment on film could spark real, honest dialogue among girlfriends.
Do you open up to friends about the trials and tribulations of motherhood? Chime in below!
PLUS:
- Manolos and Men! It's Sex and the City 2
- Five real women share their stories of motherhood.
- Need a break? Check out these 31 mommy-time ideas.
