I was not sure I knew exactly what it meant to be a mom. When I became pregnant with my older son, Rohan, I was working full time and going to business school to get my MBA at New York University. I was in a fast forward mode. Becoming a mother changed my priorities in an instant. I wanted to be a mom; I wanted everything to slow down so I could cherish my time with my baby.
We chose to move to South Orange, NJ, from West New York, NJ, in order to have our child live a life where he can run around, make friends and have neighbors with kids of the same age. Two sons (Rohan turns 7 and Arjun 2 this April) and many swim lessons, piano lessons, and Y camps later, motherhood continues to be a blessing. Moving around in this little town, I realized there were so many families who were moving here from New York, Jersey City and Hoboken for the same reasons. It always felt like this town is made of people like us. Joe, from Alabama and Mary, from Texas meet in New York City. Joe and Mary marry, have kids, and settle down in South Orange. Maybe it is the train lines, the commute, the vibrancy or most likely all of the above.
Over time, I have made many friends in this area and met many women that are spectacular in their own ways. They all seem to have these normal lives, but talk to them, and they have such wonderful stories to share about raising kids, careers, learning more about themselves, and becoming stronger each day. I felt that we “moms” needed an online platform that celebrates us for who we are, not just as mothers to our kids but for us as individuals. A place to read, chat, ask questions, share our stories and experiences, make friends, find kid’s activities and spas and camps, get sitters and fulfill many of our mom needs.
In January of 2013, Momagama was born. Momagama is a celebration of two words – “Mom” and “Agama”. In Buddhism, Agama is described as “Sacred Work” or “Scripture. Momagama celebrates the sacred and unique of mom. Momagama is all about sharing our experiences, our transitions, and everything fun and fabulous in our daily lives. I hope you like it as much as I do. Enjoy and be momagamous!
Love, Nidhi
