Mother's Day

Mother’s Day is tomorrow. A day for us to honor our mothers, to remember what it was like to be a child and have a mommy. Many of us are fortunate to be mothers and grandmothers now. No matter what, we all had a mother when we were born. If we are lucky, we remember how they held us in their arms, kissed the boo-boos on our knees, and made us eat what was on our plate. I am so blessed to be able to FaceTime with mine tomorrow to wish her Happy Mother’s Day. She will be 92 in August. When we connect, we often talk about what it was like raising children in the 50s and 60s. Many of us look back and think it was a simpler time, but based on discussions with my mom, I’m not so sure.

When I was a child, I didn’t think about what it took to be my mother. I was oblivious to all the wonders and fears out there. My world was my backyard, my bedroom, my parents and my brothers. My mother had five children to worry about, to feed, to care for and love. As children, we spent our summers playing with the neighbors, making up games and skits, and not having a care in the world. School months were routine, get up, get dressed, eat breakfast, go to school, come home, do homework, eat dinner, go to bed. The world changed for me in sixth grade, the day JFK was assassinated. My brothers and I were sent home from school to find my mother glued to the television. The country was in shock. Even while in mourning for our president, my mother still had meals to fix, children to keep safe, bathe and put to bed. She sent us to school knowing that we were practicing duck and cover by going into the halls for drills, pulling our legs up to our face and covering ourselves with our coats in case the bomb came. She made it look easy, but I realized how hard it must have been once I became a mother. She didn’t think about herself, what she needed or wanted. She concentrated on making sure her children were safe and loved. I wish I could give her back time for herself, that I had realized what she was doing. Our children are carefree - one of the perks of being a child. Our children are here to love us, to look for direction from us, to feel safe and cared for. Thankfully, today many women realize the need to care for themselves so they can care for their families, although finding time continues to be a challenge for so many women. We can’t afford to miss the opportunity to find time to evaluate our lives. As Anne Morrow Lindberg said, “For if it is a woman’s nature to nurture, then she must nourish herself.” I hope Stretching Forward provides nourishment for your soul. Happy Mother's Day to all of you - mothers, daughters, sisters, friends, women who care.

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Happy Mother’s Day to my mom.

May this day be full of love and joy.

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