I count myself extremely lucky that as soon as I make it through this full Friday of work that awaits me, I get to head off and spend this Mother’s Day weekend with my Mother. As a divorce professional I have to be careful celebrating one parent over the other. I recognize and advocate for the importance of both parents in the lives of their children. Moms are important and Dads are important too, but this is Mother’s Day weekend, so this week’s blog is a celebration of Mothers.
My Mother. Not to brag or anything, but I think I made a pretty wise selection of Mothers at my birth. Thanks in large part to her, I have felt loved every day of my life. My Dad worked long hours to provide financially for our family of 9, and my Mom managed all of us kids and the household. Even with six brothers and sisters, she made each of us feel loved and special. She taught us the importance of integrity through her own actions. She taught us the value of hard work, for pitching in and taking responsibility. She was (and is) a fabulous cook, but she also had us kids helping her out in the kitchen, going with her shopping, doing the dishes and everything in-between. I learned how to make a pot of oatmeal when I was 7 or 8 and I was helping with the dinner dishes on my night around that same time. She wanted our help but also wanted to give us tools so that we were ready to go out confidently into the world.
My Mother was nurturing and provided us with guidance but also let each of us figure out our own path. She encouraged us to achieve but let us each sort out what we wanted to do or be. My Mother is extremely smart and very opinionated. Despite her opinions she is also open minded and accepting of other perspectives. She returned to college in her 60’s and was hiking for weeks at a time on sections of the Pacific Crest Trail in her 70’s. She was tireless. She instilled her love of nature in each of us kids. We grew up with family backpacking and camping trips. My Dad was a big part of this too, but my Mother really taught us to open our eyes to the simple joy and beauty of nature, and to take the time to step out of busy life and reconnect with it.
Every opportunity I have had to spend with my Mother feels like a celebration. She has a way of making a simple meal or activity feel extravagant. She infuses everything with joy. She has this twinkle in her eye that warms the moment. I am very lucky to have been blessed with a Mother who possesses all the qualities one would want in a Mother. I am extremely lucky to get to run off this weekend and enjoy a little more time celebrating her as my Mother.
Mothers. Our Mothers bring us into the world. I understand that all Mothers are different and in each family the roles of each parent may differ. In my own family, my spouse and I both played very active roles in tending to the needs of our children. Whatever my strengths, I recognized that in our family, my Wife was a bit better at the nurturing of our children, especially when they were sick. She also had an intuition about the needs of our children that was like a sixth sense, that I did not possess. Our strengths in parenting our children may differ. I don’t know where I would be now without having been given the gifts I received from both of my parents. When we get to Father’s Day weekend, I will share more about the gifts I received from my Father. On this Mother’s Day I acknowledge the nurturing I received from my Mother. She also gave me the gift of creativity and imagination. She taught me caring and compassion. She taught me the value of staying positive and getting up and dusting off, whenever life knocked you down.
This weekend is a celebration of our Mothers. Whatever gifts we received from our Mothers, it is an opportunity to thank them for the sacrifices they made to bring us into the world, and for all the important lessons they taught us. If you are as lucky as I am and get to spend the weekend with your Mother, you can give her a big hug and tell her right there as you look into her eyes. If you can’t be with her in person, pick up the phone and share from afar. If your Mother is no longer alive, share her memories with those that you are with. At our birth everyone is given the gift of a connection to their Mother. Whatever that relationship may look like, it is something that is forever ours. On this ever important Mother’s Day weekend, I wish all you Mother’s a special time, that you are made to feel loved and appreciated, and that you are celebrated for all that you do and have done. Happy Mother’s Day!