By Emily Webb Olsen

Mirriam-Webster’s Dictionary defines Mother as “a female parent” and also “maternal tenderness and affection." I fall more towards the latter, as we all have a portion of maternal tenderness in us.

Mother’s Day can come with emotional layers— some easy to identify and others not as easy to identify. Especially for those who have longed to be mothers; for those who have lost their mother/caregiver; strained mother/child relationships; and for those who have lost their role as a “mother” through death or adoption. On this day, it can be painful reminders of what is lost— what appears unseen.

Grief is an emotion that moves through us like a wave. At times it is slow and calm — while other times it’s cascading down on us just to knock us off our feet with a tremendous force. Each of us grieves in our own way, and in our own time.

If you are celebrating Mother’s Day, let’s honor all of those who have provided maternal tenderness and affection. And if you’re grieving on this Mother’s Day, you are not alone. We can appreciate the feminine tenderness in all of us, and we can also feel sadness for what we lost and the space it left behind.

 

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