So here’s my Mothers Day suggestion:
Try (and this might be really difficult) seeing your mother as a fallible human being, acknowledging her own problems and struggles and faults. It’s hard not to have expectations or fantasies about an archetypal figure like Mother or Father, though possessing this kind of sensitivity far exceeds any Mothers Day gift you may be contemplating. It adds depth to your own character, and is a sign of great maturity.
I don’t know a mother past her fifties who is free from regrets about her own mothering. The struggles of an emerging adult who already thinks she’s fully formed take on a whole new meaning with the birth of a first child. Your mother is growing right along with you, either self aware or in spite of herself. We can’t always have the former, but the latter is assured, whether she likes it or not.
Be kind to this person who loves you so very unconditionally. Do not simply await her endless giving as though it is your lifelong birthright. Realize she is conditioned to sacrifice, and try alleviating her suffering. She will hold you in her heart until she dies, a rare quality to find in a partner or friend. And that is what we celebrate on this day.
Happy Mothers Day, mamas everywhere! 
photo of me and my mother, 1953
Thanks so much for the tender reflection! Happy Mother’s Day to you, Bela!
And Happy Mothers Day to you, dear one. From one mother to another! <3
She is the endless giver.
Time and again, we sow the seeds
And time and again, the clouds send rain
And time and again, we plough the fields
And time and again, other owners come
And time and again, beggars will beg
And time and again, givers will give
And time and again, give new gifts
And time and again, find new heavens
H <3
How lovely, Hariod. Thanks so much for sharing! <3
This is called ‘Song of the Monks and Nuns’ Bela, and is attributed to the brother of Siddhārtha Gautama. I recited it at my mother’s memorial service as part of a eulogy on motherhood and giving. H <3
That was such a beautiful thought Bela and I wanted to thank you for releasing into the world for folks like me to savour it.
I suppose the one thing that every human being would acknowledge about the “Being of a mother” is the aspect of selfless love. Expectation, if there is one that the mother has from her child, is to be the best baby…. teenager….. adult….. human being on this planet. So within this expectation is more of the selflessness that you too have spoken of. I have often wondered what is it really that creates this quality in mothers? Is it socialisation? Or is it something genetic to propagate the species? Or is it a mix of many things? I remain unsure.
Indeed ‘Mother’ is but a manifestation of that ( somewhere out there!) Universal consciousness that turns the cogs and levers of our lives with all the love and compassion that exists……
Shakti
Shakti, thank you for contributing your voice and spirit. And I agree that the archetypal qualities of Mother are around us all, if I’ve not too loosely interpreted your words.
I, too remain unsure about just what creates these qualities, only that in me, they grew exponentially as a result of having children – which, by the way, I had no plans of ever undertaking. Yet it’s been the sharpest learning curve in my life, and I am so grateful for the often-humbling and challenging experience.
Aloha and Namaste <3
This was so sweet and happy belated mother’s day. Memories of precious little ones and our own dear mom’s or mama’s fill my mind with joy.
I am glad this is the case for you, Robin! 😀 Aloha.
By the way, Bela, I was 2 in 1953! I am older than you, ha ha! Smiles.