Happy Mother’s Day
“Being a mother means that your heart is no longer yours; it wanders wherever your children do.” (Unknown)
Mother’s Day is celebrated worldwide on different days. In the UK we celebrated in March, in many countries it will be celebrated in May, others in June. But if there’s something the current events taught us already is that we should always celebrate our loved ones. We should stop waiting for a certain day to call, to send flowers, to send a card, to visit, to say “I love you”.
As an immigrant, I’m used to be away from my mother. And she’s used to be away from me. Thankfully, we can see and hear each other any time we want.
“A mother is not a person to lean on, but a person to make leaning unnecessary.” — Dorothy Fisher
As a friend, I know sometimes our mothers leave us too soon, too unexpectedly. And there’s no comfort left, apart from our loving memories. There’s nothing like the pain of missing someone so deeply and knowing you’ll never get to hug that person again. ❤
As a mother, I learned that infinite love is real. I learned that you can fall in love every day (even more) with the same person, for the rest of your life. It’s a love so intense that gets scary.
No true love is possible without real fear.
Right now, we’re all experiencing something we weren't ready for. In ways we couldn’t possibly expect, the world suffers together. We all fear together. This mother’s day, I fear as a daughter for my mother’s safety and I fear as a mother for my son’s well-being.
In normal circumstances, I wouldn’t be with my mother today. In this new one, I don’t even know when I’ll be able to catch a plane and hug her. For the first time, I don’t know when I’ll be with her and It’s terrifying.
Unfortunately, some of you have lost your mother and miss her deeply. Some of you may have never met your mother or maybe didn’t have the best one. I get it, Father’s Day isn’t particularly easy for me.
To the lucky ones who get to be with their mothers, make the best of it. But, most importantly, if you don’t live with your mother, today is the day you put her first. I know you’ll feel the urge to visit her, and she’ll feel this immense need to be with you. Although, for many of you out there, this may not be the safest thing to do.
“Making a decision to have a child — It’s momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body.” — Elizabeth Stone
Make the right decision today, even if it’s the hardest. Call, send flowers, send love, give attention. But, above all, give protection. Don’t risk your mother’s health over a day you can (and should) celebrate any time. Stay home, isolate yourself even if that means isolating others. Staying away is hard but losing someone forever is harder.
If you're a mother, away from your children, I can only imagine the worry in your heart.
If you’re a mother who has lost a child, I can’t even imagine the hole in your life.
If you’re a mother struggling with this challenge of raising a kid with all the uncertainty of the moment, constantly feeling like you’re failing at something, remember that you’re only human. As long as you do what you can with what you have, they’ll always know how amazing you are.
“The most important thing she’d learnt over the years was that there was no way to be a perfect mother and a million ways to be a good one.” — Jill Churchill
I woke up today wanting to write something for mothers out there. To share some love and hope. I’m feeling so many different things, both as a daughter and a mother. I know this won’t be the happiest mother’s day, but I hope you’ll find a way to make something meaningful. To find some peace in all this chaos. To remember that nothing lasts forever and that includes pain and suffering. To believe that, together, we’ll find a way to make it through.
“Babies have a lesson for us: a smile is possible even when you can’t hold your head high.” (Unknown)
If my words aren’t forming the best sentences it’s because my feelings aren’t making the best sense. I’m sure you can relate to this overwhelmingness of emotions that don’t know how to coexist.
So, take it from the ones who knew how to pick the right words and form the perfect sentences. Take them with you, share them and keep them forever.
“MOTHER, A CRADLE TO HOLD ME”
By Maya Angelou
❤
“It is true
I was created in you.
It is also true
That you were created for me.
I owned your voice.
It was shaped and tuned to soothe me.
Your arms were molded
Into a cradle to hold me, to rock me.
The scent of your body was the air
Perfumed for me to breathe.
Mother,
During those early, dearest days
I did not dream that you had
A large life which included me,
For I had a life
Which was only you.
Time passed steadily and drew us apart.
I was unwilling.
I feared if I let you go
You would leave me eternally.
You smiled at my fears, saying
I could not stay in your lap forever.
That one day you would have to stand
And where would I be?
You smiled again.
I did not.
Without warning you left me,
But you returned immediately.
You left again and returned,
I admit, quickly,
But relief did not rest with me easily.
You left again, but again returned.
You left again, but again returned.
Each time you reentered my world
You brought assurance.
Slowly I gained confidence.
You thought you know me,
But I did know you,
You thought you were watching me,
But I did hold you securely in my sight,
Recording every moment,
Memorizing your smiles, tracing your frowns.
In your absence
I rehearsed you,
The way you had of singing
On a breeze,
While a sob lay
At the root of your song.
The way you posed your head
So that the light could caress your face
When you put your fingers on my hand
And your hand on my arm,
I was blessed with a sense of health,
Of strength and very good fortune.
You were always
the heart of happiness to me,
Bringing nougats of glee,
Sweets of open laughter.
I loved you even during the years
When you knew nothing
And I knew everything, I loved you still.
Condescendingly of course,
From my high perch
Of teenage wisdom.
I spoke sharply of you, often
Because you were slow to understand.
I grew older and
Was stunned to find
How much knowledge you had gleaned.
And so quickly.
Mother, I have learned enough now
To know I have learned nearly nothing.
On this day
When mothers are being honored,
Let me thank you
That my selfishness, ignorance, and mockery
Did not bring you to
Discard me like a broken doll
Which had lost its favor
I thank you that
You still find something in me
To cherish, to admire and to love.
I thank you, Mother.
I love you.”
❤
Stay safe and keep others safe.
