Being assigned a day of honor on a calendar, like so many well-intentioned things a Mother endures, can become a gauntlet of emotions for women who didn’t carry to term, who relinquished their child at birth, who were judged as unfit, who lost a child, who are no longer the guardian, or who are sadly estranged from a child.
It is also a challenge for the most candid of mothers who may admit that it isn’t going well at the moment, or in this season, or hasn’t been hitting the mark for a long, long time. Being honest in the face of the adulation built into this holiday can be irksome to those who prefer a glossy image of the ideal. Some may not welcome the candor that is necessary for making needed changes. The greatest gift is meeting a mother where she actually is.
Mother’s Day is here again. Tenderly observe this day in light of the many who are walking a razor’s edge. Our best emotional skills are needed on a day like this. Listen without judgment. Make no assumptions, demand no artificiality. Connect gently with someone who has an acknowledged loss. Embrace those who may be battling shame. Add Grace and Mercy to the menu and let anyone suffering today, feast on these.
