The Wide Spectrum of Mothering-- Mother's Day

So, Mother's Day is this weekend. While I am excited to celebrate my mother, mother-in law, and grandmother, there are many women that will have a difficult time this weekend for various reasons. I saw this on my IF support group board and thought I would share it here. It's just something to think about.

The Wide Spectrum of Mothering

• To those who gave birth this year to their first child—we celebrate with you
• To those who lost a child this year – we mourn with you
• To those who are in the trenches with little ones every day and wear the badge of food stains – we appreciate you
• To those who experienced loss through miscarriage, failed adoptions, or running away—we mourn with you
• To those who walk the hard path of infertility, fraught with pokes, prods, tears, and disappointment – we walk with you. Forgive us when we say foolish things. We don’t mean to make this harder than it is.
• To those who are foster moms, mentor moms, and spiritual moms – we need you
• To those who have warm and close relationships with your children – we celebrate with you
• To those who have disappointment, heart ache, and distance with your children – we sit with you
• To those who lost their mothers this year – we grieve with you
• To those who experienced abuse at the hands of your own mother – we acknowledge your experience
• To those who lived through driving tests, medical tests, and the overall testing of motherhood – we are better for having you in our midst
• To those who have aborted children – we remember them and you on this day
• To those who are single and long to be married and mothering your own children – we mourn that life has not turned out the way you longed for it to be
• To those who step-parent – we walk with you on these complex paths
• To those who envisioned lavishing love on grandchildren -yet that dream is not to be, we grieve with you
• To those who will have emptier nests in the upcoming year – we grieve and rejoice with you
• To those who placed children up for adoption — we commend you for your selflessness and remember how you hold that child in your heart
• And to those who are pregnant with new life, both expected and surprising –we anticipate with you
• This Mother’s Day, we walk with you. Mothering is not for the faint of heart and we have real warriors in our midst. We remember you.

By Amy Young (http://messymiddle.com)

http://www.messymiddle.com/2012/05/10/an-open-letter-to-pastors-a-non-mom-speaks-about-mothers-day/ 

 This is the link to the blog post where this was written.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Mother's Day. If you have a hard time this weekend then be good to yourself and try to plan something to keep your mind off of what might be painful. I have faith that one year I may be a part of this day, not this year, but maybe next year or the next but one day.