The stork has long been associated with new beginnings, parenting, and fertility.
Where does this myth originate from? From ancient civilizations to modern day society, the stork continues to find itself placed in the realm of fertility. Egyptian mythology associates the stork with an individual’s unique soul, or ‘ba’, while in Greek mythology, Gerana, a pygmy Queen, is transformed into a stork by the Goddess Hera, with Gerana’s main focus from that point on is to retrieve her baby. In northern Europe, the stork became a symbol of childbirth due to their migratory patterns, leaving Poland and Germany only to return to these breeding ground nine months later; European folkore perpetuates the stork bringing a baby. Today we see this white bird strewn across baby shower décor, invitations, and signage.
Diagnosed with unexplained infertility leaves my husband and me in a gray area. With no identified problem, there is no clear-cut solution. We are in limbo, as I’m sure many of you are, where having a child is still a possibility, afterall, we haven’t been told we can’t, but also quite an uncertainty. My stork may be out there, yours too, he just hasn’t woken up yet.
The name ‘Sleeping Stork’ can be perceived as hopeful, open ended, imaginable, but is also associated with the uncertainty we find ourselves in.
