In Honor Of Mothers And Mothering

Whether you’re celebrating your birth mother, chosen mother, adopted mother, foster mother, or the aspects in yourself and others that have mothered your growth, Mother’s Day on Sunday, May 11th, marks what either could be viewed as just another Hallmark marketing ploy, or a time to consider how much of an impact the concept of “Mother” has had on your life.

For some, this is another opportunity to take Mom out for decadent meal, a joint mani/pedi, or to give her a meaningful card. For others, this brings up painful memories of wounds still unhealed or are being worked through. The truth is, before we were even born, we chose who our parents would be, who our siblings would be (if you have them in your lifetime), and who our friends and significant others would be. That said, all is exactly as it should be.

And, if you are experiencing challenges during this time, the “as it should be” does not pertain to you being punished as some kind of karmic retribution. The Universe doesn’t work that way! It simply means that you chose to learn specific lessons in this lifetime, and you are in the midst of it. Eventually, when you come out the other end of it all, you’ll see why it was so necessary, and ultimately, a blessing.

Easy to say, but not as easy to believe or understand, isn’t it?

Both my mother and I have spicy personalities! I suppose those similarities proved to provide for some likewise spicy lessons in life. I can’t ever say my life has been boring! I’m blessed for it all. She’s taught me so much.

A few of the more poignant things I’ve learned from my mother are:

• That being different is beautiful. A helpful thing to nurture in your child when she is “one of a kind” in her neighborhood!
• Pride in my multiracial ancestry. Also, very helpful when it comes to learning who you are becoming as a young adult.
• That family is important. I’m grateful that I have the kind of family that warrants iPhone’s “landscape” photo option.
• Knowing where I came from. My father greatly infused this in me, too; but my mother was the one who organized the trips overseas every other year.
• Having a cohesive belief structure. Even though it turned out that I didn’t share her same religious belief system later on in life, it was extremely valuable to believe in a higher source so strongly, and so early in life.

For that, and many more things, I am grateful to my Mother.

I am also grateful that I nurtured mothering aspects in myself, such as:

• Learning that my path as a healer would be different from that of my father, a Western physician. And, that was, ok.
• Exploring all aspects of myself, and allowing myself to fail, get up, and try again.
• The guidance I’ve received, listened to, and assimilated, while on my healing path, so I could have the opportunity to share with others what I’ve learned that works.
• That I chose to heal in light, when I could’ve easily chosen darkness.
• That I choose to follow my Heart.

What nurturing aspects within yourself are you grateful for?
And who acted as Mother in your life that you’d like to honor?

Honoring the Divine Goddess within you (yes, even men have that within!),

 

 

 

 

 

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