Every year, Mother's Day comes around, and those of us who are not mothers feel a range of emotions. Likewise, it can be a lonely day for those of us who have lost our mothers. I always think of my own mother, who died on May 23, 2006, and who I miss every day of my life. So there is sadness, gratitude, appreciation, some regret about things I never said or did, but mostly a sense of love -- and awareness that her love for me showed me how to love others. There are many people for whom this day brings just the opposite -- a wish that they had had a sympathetic, loving mother, or perhaps a wish that they had not known their mother at all, or that she had lived longer... I also have friends who have lost their children. What can this day be like for them? There are so many individual stories that deviate from the idealized picture painted by this observance we call "Mothers' Day," and for those people, all the glowing tributes can be extremely painful.
Beautiful, heartfelt and honest. As the husband of a childless couple, I thank you for this. I celebrate your many maternal instincts and creativity and wish you a Happy Mother's Day!
Beautiful, heartfelt and honest. As the husband of a childless couple, I thank you for this. I celebrate your many maternal instincts and creativity and wish you a Happy Mother's Day!
Such a well written piece, Beth. Yes, we hope today’s girls and young women will have many choices, including to not have children.
Thanks for sharing these helpful thoughts, Beth <3
I really enjoyed reading this insightful and beautifully written piece. Thank you.