being afraid

I had a discussion on Monday about what becoming a mother does to some women - it makes us afraid of things we used to enjoy. The little frisson of excitement in doing something a bit dangerous turns into something more gut-wrenching, and I think it might be an instinct to protect our children rather than ourselves.

I have avoided riding pillion on the husband's Harley for over nine years now - initially because I was pregnant, but now there's a fear that if the unthinkable happened, the children could be left as orphans, and they're not old enough to look after themselves yet. I need to finish the job of raising them first.

I have no idea if it's the same for fathers, but I suspect not, or at least not to the same extent.