A Mother’s Day Retrospective, Or, Saturday Morning at 7:51am

23 Responses

1. I do appreciate hearing from my sons on Mother’s Day. A little societally-imposed gratitude is not so bad. Of course, they themselves are the best gift that I could ever have.

   1. Yes, to both your thoughts;).

2. I don’t put too much weight on Mother’s day. This year it was an excuse for me to buy a few pretties for myself and jokingly thank my teenager. More importantly, there is a card with a tiny hand print and a very secret bag that has been colored in Kindergarten waiting to melt my heart tomorrow. I know these sweet, little years are so short so I try to enjoy their imperfections and not worry about flowers.

   1. “I try to enjoy their imperfections and not worry about flowers.” A good approach to life, I think.

3. I love the honesty in this post and the joy that you take in your children no matter what the current Mother’s Day may bring. I can tell that you know you are loved, and your love for them is evident in each word.

   1. Thank you!

4. I’m with Anne, in truth. I think it’s a horrid little greeting-card holiday designed to promote consumerism and to make people feel obligated. (Note: I have a mother whom I love and I am a mother.) My preference is for respect on a daily basis, not on a predetermined Sunday.

   1. Room for all points of view.

5. PS: I’m happy for others to enjoy it – didn’t mean to sound as if it’s bad for all.

   1. I understood you! My comment sounded sterner than I meant. I guess I really do need to use as many smileys as I do:).

6. I have to be honest, it’s my favorite holiday.

   1. Have a happy one!

7. That is indeed a charming photograph of you with your mother. Enjoy your day tomorrow and revel in your brand of motherhood. Your children are very lucky to have you.

   1. @Chronica Domus, Thank you so much. I hope you enjoy the day too.

8. I freaking love mothers day! But I hate single and childless women being marginalised which is why I texted all my single childless amazing friends today to thank them for being awesome nurturers to me and my son.

   I will celebrate ANYTHING. Because when your job is as stressful as mine and you’re time costing ever 6 minutes it’s nice to have a distraction xxxx

   1. @Faux Fuchsia, That is a wonderful gesture. And I suspect your penchant for celebration is innate, intensified by your job, but would be there even if you quit.:)

9. Hmm, I have no real problems with Mother’s Day and the intentions were well-meaning, but it has become over-commercialized. Sometimes it seems that the more an idea becomes a “thing” the less meaning it truly has. If only we could honor each other every day, but since we more often don’t, let’s celebrate and be thankful.

   1. @Mardel, Let’s be thankful. And sometimes I feel like every possible occasion for the spending of money has been over-commercialized, and we’ve invented more occasions for the same purpose:(

10. I love the photo of you with your mother, Lisa! What a wonderful moment to capture! I can see you in her face.

    On Mother’s Day I really don’t care about gifts or flowers. For me, it’s a day to feel grateful that I was able to have two sons after years of infertility, that I have a wonderful stepdaughter who is grown now, and who has become a friend and support, and, uppermost in my mind, that I still have my mother. And that at age 89 she is still the smartest person I know.

    This year I did something different. I usually send plants from White Flower Farm or flower arrangements from a shop in her town with a spectacular designer. Partners in Health is my favorite charity, and early last week I received an email suggesting a gift to support mothers in need as a way to honor my mother. So I did it, an email was sent, and my mother was thrilled. She was also excited about a trip with my sisters to a large commercial flower-growing operation, and I heard all about the miles of greenhouse, irrigation systems, etc., and she came home with a car full of plants.

    I am also learning about my maternal grandmother. She was a concert pianist who had 11 children before dying at age 37, and she had 70 grandchildren (after her death). We have a family group on facebook now, sharing photos, documents, records, and information on her and other ancestors.

    So I feel fortunate today.

    1. Thank you! And I am so glad you feel fortunate. Your mother sounds wonderful, and how lovely to give in your mother’s name and equally lovely that she was thrilled.

11. I’m with you on Anne Lamott’s piece….a little strident it seems. Personally I feel it’s good for the kids to feel a little obligated to someone besides themselves at this point. Possibly because I have teenagers/young adults. And while I do appreciate my husband getting me a present “from the kids”, I really wish he would encourage them to own this holiday for themselves. My youngest did a great job this year all by her lonesome, the other two managed a call. All in good time.

12. To take the pressure off our 20-something age kids, I tell them my favorite gift would be a 2 or 3 sentence note to me, describing one memory they have of growing up, or one thing they appreciated about the way they were raised. (Hopefully that memory isn’t one that sent them to therapy but so far so good : ) .)

13. Really? That surprises me somewhat about Anne Lamott. I love her writing, but I’d have to disagree with her on this one, too, Lisa. I had so much fun with my middle daughter, Rachel, in DC over the weekend. And to top it all off, my eldest told me she’s pregnant with her second child! Oh…and I came home to a fresh apple pie that my youngest had made. Motherhood is sweeter as time goes on.

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