For me, Mothers Day is sweet. But for many, I know it is bittersweet.
For mamas who have lost a child – born or unborn…
For women who have yearned for a child and have been unable to conceive…
For single women who long to be married and start a family yet remain waiting…
For those wanting to adopt who haven’t yet been able to see that dream become reality…
For those who needed to let someone else care for their child and had to say goodbye…
For single moms of young kids who are too young to know how to appreciate mommy as she deserves…
For moms serving in the military who are deployed and far away from their babies…
For moms of teenagers who have pushed away from them…
{And}
For those who never knew their mother…
For those who have had a mother walk out on them…
For those who had a mother who was there but not there…
For those who have lost a mother…
For those who have lost a grandmother…
For those who have lost a mother-figure…
To you all of you, I want to say Happy Mothers Day as well.
May you be comforted in your loss or in your longing. May your eyes be opened to those you have “mothered” through your love and care and nurturing, whether you have children of your own or not. And may you be filled with sweet memories of the special women in your own life who are as mothers to you, even if your own is gone.
Mothers Day is not just a day for moms; it’s a day for women.
Mothers and mother figures everywhere are deserving of our honor. You are appreciated… and I sincerely hope there’s someone in your life to help you know it.
I want your Mothers Day to be sweet as well. Because you make our future, and our children’s future, better.
Little hands applaud you:
Bloggers for Birth Kits update:
210 kits donated, 34 posts spreading the word, more than 192 links on facebook (I lost track after that!), and tons of #B4BirthKits tweets. Yay! (I can’t wait for our accounts office to open back up on Monday so we can get a new count!) Thank you for lending your heart and voice and resources to this important cause for mums & bubs in developing nations.
(c) Adriel Booker 2010-2012 | All Rights Reserved
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That's a really beautiful post Adriel
it's funny that i am reading this post right now because it's what i've been thinking about all day today. it's also what our pastor spoke about in his sermon. he knows from personal experience since he and his wife were never able to have children. i think that we should always be aware and sensitive to the feelings of others in all situations. my prayer is that all women will feel honored and blessed today…not just the mommies!
i recognize that photo!! good message, Adriel. thank you.
Oh, Adriel this was perfect. I have a college roommate that has recently lost her unborn child. I was not sure how to address today being mother's day. Your post was perfect, infact I forward it to her with my happy mother's day wish. I was still uncertain how it would be taken, and I was really relived to find out that she was very greatful for my wish and it has opened the door for others to wish her a happy Mother's Day. I hope that it will help her in her healing. Thank you so much for this post.
I have a friend who after many, many years of fertility treatments had her final round of invitro fail this weekend. Heartbreaking. So many women struggle with infertility, or never have their dreams of motherhood realized. I myself went through some infertility issues, and I am always very open to speak about them. I think we need to make it less of a taboo topic. These women deserve to be honored as well!
Thank you for your comments and emails. It's reinforced from the pageview (high) to comment (low) ratio that this is a very sensitive subject. If you prefer to email me privately with your response or feedback, I can be reached at themommyhoodmemos @ gmail . com
I had a young child ask me on Mother's Day several years ago if I was a mom. My answer: "Yes, I just haven't had my kids yet."
Wow, you are so amazing. I almost teared up… I had a mom who was there but not there… and I lost it a bit on Sunday with the whole wanting to be married and a mom but still waiting thing… but I was blessed to feel so close to God and know that I'm SO lucky…
Such a great post… Thank you for talking about this! I've spent 4 years as a Mommy. The first year, I was so overwhelmed I barely paid attention to my own mother, the second year was better, I remembered to honour her and got some special treatment myself too, the third Mother's Day was a complete blur with a newborn in the house, and this year I had a lovely day and found my own mother a special gift. But some of these other people you talk about in your post were with me in my thoughts, and I didn't really know how to navigate 'Mother's Day' with them. Your post has showed me a way I might share the day with anyone, even those who we are afraid of hurting by shining a light on their struggles or sadness. Of course, it needs to be approached delicately and with sensitivity, but I think avoiding it (as I did with my neighbour…who delivered my baby but never had children herself, and my friend, whose mother died young) is far more awkward.
Hi, I googled “mothers day to those who have lost” and I found this page. Such a fitting post as I know so many who have lost children & mothers over the last few years.
2012 – a year on your post still being read!
oh, thanks for letting me know alison. it’s hard. i’m glad this post is still encouraging a few women, even a year later. happy mama’s day to you. xo
Adriel Booker recently posted..i’m a mom. and i am perfect.
[...] in honor of Mothers Day, and knowing that it’s not always a happy day, I wrote a post for women who have lost or are longing. And finally, based on my experience as a “single mom” for the month, I wrote about 10 [...]