Today is Mother’s Day. A day meant to honor and appreciate those women that we call mother. The one’s that help guide, teach, prune, and love us throughout our lives. But this day is also a day of comforting, reaching out, and holding those mothers who are hurting because not everything is rainbows and roses and motherhood comes with a vast array of heartbreak and hardships.
As these last six months have been plagued by much grief for my family, I feel as though mentioning the hard stuff on this day is necessary. So, everyone who has lost their mother or for every mother who has lost a child may you find comfort in the knowledge that they are with you in spirit. If you read my last blog post, you know our loved ones send signs all the time to let us know they are here. Invite the loved one in and allow their energy to be with you today. If anything, honor a memory because it is the memories that keep them alive in our hearts.
For everyone whose mother is sick and you are hurting vicariously through them may you 
honor today and only today. The moments, the laughs, the sunshine, and positivity because nothing is gained by worrying for your mother’s health in the future. You can cross the bridges of cancer treatment or surgery or hospital stays or healing and remission as they come, but today is about the now.
In addition to the grief that accompanies sickness and loss, I have also seen the grief that comes with those recovering from mental illness who have to end a relationship with their mother. Whether that be because your mother was not healthy for your recovery, did not support your recovery, or was not willing to change to aid your recovery, you had to cut them out of your life. I have seen this play out time and time again and it is arguably the most heartbreaking thing to witness. Not only are people trying to build a new life for themselves where true life can be sustained, but to do so they have to experience loss of old relationships. For everyone whose mother was not the person they needed growing up, who hurt them, who betrayed them, or who never stood by their side may you find comfort in knowing that someone sees the strength it took to walk away. It shows a great deal of self-respect and self-awareness when someone is able to say “this is not working” and turn down a new path. You cannot help others if you cannot help yourself first.
Lastly, for the mothers who are here and present and loving and supportive, and for the women who are about to become mothers, thank you. Thank you for wanting to join the world of motherhood and the tasks that it entails. Thank you for showing up and being the strong rocks that you were called to be.
Happy Mother’s Day to all mothers, all daughters, all sons, husbands, and friends. May you celebrate in whatever way is appropriate to your experience. Cry if you must, listen to an absent loved one’s favorites songs, write cards, send flowers, eat good food, but most importantly, even if it isn’t your mother, let your supporters know how grateful you are to have them in your life.
Unpolished Journey 