I think we can all agree that most mothers are pretty incredible.
The innate knowing, the selfless love, the multi-tasking to no end, the cup that seems bottomless sometimes. As a mother of two, aged 15 and 10, I really relate to what it means when people say that having children feels like your heart is walking around outside of your body.
I grew up with an amazingly loving mother who made me like I was cherished and truly special. Sadly, she died 3 weeks before I had my first child, and it left a hole that hasn’t ever been filled. Even though I loved being a mom, at the time, I was single. I actually divorced while pregnant (another long story which I don’t need to go into) but let’s just say that giving birth to my son naturally (which was incredibly empowering) and bringing him home solo, was a true test of my innate ability to mother. My strength and courage blindsided me.
Where does Cannabis enter the picture. Cannabis had always been like a lock and key for me. While it is not advised for developing teen brains, when used as an adult, the medicinal properties and effects can be astounding for many (may I say most?). Everyone has his/her own story, but when I talk to my female friends who use cannabis medicinally or recreationally whether daily as part of their routine or here and there, this is just some of the feedback I got which I can agree with:
- it helps me feel more in my body, more sexual, sensual and alive which can be great for connection with my partner
- on a low dose, I feel more patient with my kids, more able to be present without being so stressed and edgy
- I prefer a 3.5 or 5 mg gummy to alcohol because I still get a buzz like I would off of a glass of wine or two, but there is no wretched hangover
- when I take a sativa tincture in the morning as part of my routine along with a cbd capsule, it is the ideal balance for my day. I feel calm, positive and energized
- last night I played blackjack with my teen boys and their friends and we laughed hysterically ( I had consumed a low dose gummy a few hours before)
- cannabis use helps me keep my weight in check as I drink less and feel more motivated to eat healthy, exercise and do yoga
Back to my story. I lived with my dad for about 6 months just so I could relax and be with my baby without all the stresses of managing my own household. Although those days were long and hard, they were also magical. We took long walks, nursed in bed, went to the grocery store……just simple tasks that we managed just the two of us. When it came time to set out on my own, I moved to Portland. That was 15 years ago this March. I can honestly say it was hands down the best decision I have ever made for myself and it was the little voice inside me telling me it was right. I had grown up in the summer in Maine, gone to college in Maine, but then had lived away for the 10 years in between. It was time to return to the little City I loved.
Flash forward, my husband and I are here now, living in South Portland, raising our two children in this stunning environment we get to call home. Portland has exploded with incredible culinary options as we know, diverse yoga, barre and pilates studios, breweries galore, and the medical marijuana market has been incredibly strong, supported, and supportive for some time now to Mainers. With the beginning of recreational Cannabis stores like ours, Portland Greenhouse, our goal is offer to offer a myriad of diverse highly tested, regulated options to the growing population of people who might now have a medical card but who want access to cannabis. Unlike other recreational stores with a party theme, we are trying to do things a little differently. While not medical, our model is one of education, with a focus on how plant medicine can heal. One thing that many do not know is that all cannabis products sold in rec stores are highly tested for ingredients and purity.
We have been open for less than two months, but I would say that our biggest demographic so far are women over the age of forty (like me), and many of them moms.
The stigma is still there because many of us grew up in the 80’s with the “this is your brain on drugs” campaign and just say no. I think we all agree that teens should not be using cannabis, but for adults, especially those over the age of 25, cannabis can be one of the most successful modalities for healing physical and emotional issues that plague the majority of humans experiencing life as we know it on this beautiful yet complicated planet.