She goes through everything with you. She lives all that you live. She asks questions, she sees everything you do (and don’t) want her to. She is the one who thinks your pasta necklace belongs in a Pandora window, and wishes all the top high-end chefs were copying your recipes for play dough pie. She is your mother and we only devote this one day a year to truly appreciating that.
- Photo by Sweet Scarlet Designs
But why restrict yourself in just celebrating the mums when we can broadcast the respect we have for all maternal figures? After all, there are those in the world who receive maternal care from those who are not their mothers, whether they be sisters, aunts or grandmothers. They all exhibit a uniquely developed method of love and awareness that can be pinpointed for its brilliance, and always advocated as publically as possible.
So this Mother’s Day, try thinking beyond the bouquet and on offer choccies (not that those treats aren’t appreciative), think outside the box. Try thanking those who show maternal love in all areas of yours and others’ lives. Take your mum, or older sister, or Nan out shopping maybe? There’s even something to be said for going for a nice family walk. Trust me, my mum appreciates these more than anything, the gift of space and time to think and talk about herself and indulge her own thoughts is unbelievably liberating sometimes.
Also, never underestimate the collage. There is something to be said for photos and words and the power and importance they have for the mums in this world. Remember all those paintings you gave your grandma, older sister, and mummy to put up on the wall? Well, try it out again for them, the love they feel for such madness I promise will never grow old. Also, and I can’t stress this enough, never forget the power of breakfast in bed. I mean, for the majority of your life, mums make breakfast for moany kids before school whilst probably trying to survive on a bearable degree of sleep most of the time. One day a year, a proper tray of grub to wake up to that they don’t have to make, perhaps with a homemade card, won’t be forgotten in a hurry. Or perhaps, if your culinary skills aren’t Jamie Oliver standard, do a quick search for lovely local cafes? Afternoon teas will forever be a beautiful reward for any who are blessed with selfless maternal instincts. They’ll feel specially spoilt as they should be, highlighting the fact that these days of reward and thanks should not be so few and far between.
So on 18th March , find a way that matters (without shattering the bank) to say thank you to your mum, and any other maternally gifted women out there, for the tireless (and seemingly effortless) attention and care they exhibit throughout our lives.
