An ode to mothers. I read several articles last week before the traditional Mother's Day came around. Some saying we should do away with it - especially when you consider the women who ache on Mother's Day to hold their own child, children with not so great mothers, women who chose not to have babies, and the list goes on. Doing away with it to ease the pain of others isn't a terrible idea; after all I'm pretty sure it's Hallmark who invented it in the first place. Actually, that's not true. Apparently it began in 1908, started by a woman named Anna Jarvis to honor her mother. A few years later, around 1920 Hallmark stepped in and the commercialization of the day began.
But is the answer to do away with it? It's an interesting question. I don't believe any one person appreciates the commercialization, or the expectations, or the sadness, or the burden, or the joy of the day, in the same way. The celebration of women, of women as nurturers, as mothers, as sisters, as aunties, as daughters, as surrogates, is something to recognize for sure. For the most part, I'd like to think it happens on a daily basis - the appreciation that is shown in words and deeds, not through gifts and cards.
The argument to maintain the holiday is strong. It's amazing to be able to sit down to dinner at a fancy restaurant and celebrate Mom. There goes that commercialization again.
Since I can't be there physically, I sent my mom an email on Mother's Day. It's also our main way of communicating each day, and I enjoy it because she fills me in on her day and I fill her in on mine. In many ways, we are closer now than we were when I was twenty and living down the street. I tried to express my appreciation for her grace, compassion, love, and patience. Things I also appreciate more than I did when I was twenty living down the street.
As I thought about my mom and Mother's Day in general, I am also reminded how we - as children - tend to forget our mothers are more than our mothers. They are strong, intelligent, funny women, who before they became our mothers were real people. I know that sounds funny, but they were! Real! It's weird to think about our moms having dreams, expectation, goals, ups and downs - life - before giving life to us. After all, aren't we the center of the universe in their eyes?
So, I'll leave you with these fun pictures of a few of the amazing women in my life. If I have left you out, it's accidental, please forgive me! Each one of these women are amazing - not because they are mothers - but because they are fun, smart, beautiful, loving women that I have had the privilege to call friend, sister, auntie, daughter, niece, cousin, mom...or all of them rolled into one amazing person.
Maybe you'd like to share your favorite memory of your mom, or an ode to her? I'll start with one of my favorite memories - just one of them, because there are thousands, and this one is small because she is humble and modest. :)
I love that my mom makes lists. She makes lists for everything. I love that I do the same, so does Ashley, so does Sydney, and so does Phoebe. We are LIST GODDESSES. And we NAIL those lists, check them off like it's our JOB! My favorite list? The grocery list. When I was younger, Mom grocery shopped every two weeks, and that sometimes included an 8 pack of Pepsi, homemade pizza, and ground beef, which Dad and I would pinch off and eat (raw, which I would never do today). Remember the bag of potato chips that would include a 45 record? That too, but, I digress. Her mantra - make a list - that way you never over or under shop. Words of wisdom, thanks, Mom!
Happy Mother's Day to each and every one of you lovely ladies, love you all!! (And Aunt Rita - I don't know why I don't have a selfie with you, because I have one with Dean! Weird! xoxo). And, I'm sorry for all the selfies - but I had a lot of fun taking them with all of you!! xoxoxoxoxox
