My Definition of Mother’s Day2 min read

People tend to think about Mother’s Day in one of two ways. Some people, on the more cynical side of the spectrum, think of the day as just another excuse for the card stores and florists to steal your money.

On the more romantic side, the day is thought of like a birthday- you spend the day showering your mother with attention and presents. I used to fall on the romantic side of the spectrum.

I love my mother more than life itself. She works so hard to support her family, and though I am aware of this every day, I enjoy Mother’s Day because it is dedicated to giving her the praise she deserves.

This year, my view of Mother’s Day is different. This year is my family’s first Mother’s Day without my grandmother.

Despite the fact that I miss her every day, I can’t help but think about how much I am going to miss her on this day. Then, I think about how hard it is going to be for my mom, and I realise that I am being selfish.

Everyone says they have the best mom in the world, and I am no exception to this. My mom is caring, selfless, smart, and has so much love to give.

I know I am biased, but I truly can’t think of a better mother than her; however, if you were to ask her, she would say that her mom was better.

My nanny was a woman of faith. She had a kind, quiet demeanor. We jokingly called her Saint Helen, but it wasn’t far off. She, like my mother, did everything for her children and grandchildren. She was patient and loved us unconditionally.

This being said, it’s not hard for me to imagine that the loss and pain my mother will feel on this day, is nothing compared to mine.

As my circumstances have changed, my view of the concept of Mother’s Day has changed too. Our views evolve as we grow and experience things, sometimes really hard things.

Experiencing the loss of a mother figure has caused celebrating Mother’s Day to change from me celebrating just my mom, to a day where I celebrate all moms.

I celebrate my grandmother who is no longer with me. I celebrate single mothers, who struggle to support their children, but continue to fight each day because of their undying love for their child. I celebrate the women expecting the arrival of a child. I celebrate the mothers who have experienced loss, and no longer have a child to care for. I celebrate any woman who cares for someone else.

My notion of Mother’s Day has dramatically changed since the loss of my grandmother. I think in order to get the most out of Mother’s Day, and really understand what it’s about, we need to start by celebrating all women.

Photo by Jordan Rowland on Unsplash