Mothers Day: Much More Than Meets the Eye

I was going to stay off the computer today as a Mother’s Day gift to myself,until I realized that being able to write to, for, and about you is in itself a gift. That hit me hard last night when, distracted by conversation, I closed my index finger in my car door and for a moment thought I’d lost this most-important digit. After icing it and keeping it above my heart for hours, I awakened to a miracle today: though swollen, it’s completely functional. What’s so important to say this Mother’s Day is that not all of us today will simply celebrate, commemorate, or consecrate; we will also grieve. Today may be sorrowful, bittersweet, or even agonizing for those who’ve lost our mothers, who’ve wanted to bear children but have not been able to, who’ve lost a child, or whose mothers are ill or have not been emotionally present because of addiction or mental illness… Other women today will celebrate a different kind of motherhood: creating a panoply of objects, artworks, organizations, systems – nurturing ideas and individuals – caring for beloved pets, the disadvantaged, the helpless. Holidays such as Mothers Day can bring up many feelings besides joy and gratitude; let us remember and honor those who grieve, yearn, or feel nostalgia. When you’ve experienced a loss, it’s like having cancer on a sunny day and seeing everyone around you rolling in the grass, giggling like a child, absorbing the warmth and light of life. Though you may rejoice for the joyous, your own pain, fear, and disorientation may be amplified. For those of you feeling that way today, my heart is with you. Any my grateful heart thanks God, the Universe, the Mystery, or my miraculous body (or all of the above!) for healing my finger so that I can write today. With love and always hope,nLorinAuthor • Speaker • Edito www.LoriHope.comnn--nThis post originally appeared on Lori's CarePages blog, "what helps. what hurts. what heals."