To
the amazing, beautiful, courageous women in my life
Today, Mother’s Day takes on a new, deeper meaning for me.
I’ve been given a gift that I need to share with you and then, the world.
Being a mother is a privilege, a gift, and possibly the most
intense and deepest experience that we can have as a human being. Nothing can
give you more joy and more pain than the connection we have we our children.
Although each of us has our own unique way of experiencing that connection, we
cannot deny that it transforms our lives in incredible ways.
Understanding the power that I have over my children, makes
me feel humble, responsible and excited about the opportunity to shape a human
life. When I remember my daughters as fragile little babies, tears come to my
eyes and a profound sense of gratitude for entrusting in me their safety and
wellbeing. Human life is so delicate and so resilient at the same time, and we
as mothers have the opportunity to be the first and most powerful influence to
shape, mold, care, and protect that life.
I would dare to say that none of us can look back at our own
relationship with our mothers and feel indifferent. For most of us an array of
feelings comes to the surface. We can enjoy and feel strengthened by the positive
feelings; however, what do we do with the undeniable uncomfortable ones? How
have they shaped us? How have they influenced the mother that we are today?
The first thing that comes to my mind when reflecting on
this is “COMPASSION” and “FORGIVENESS”. I am a firm believer that all of us,
especially when we are mothering, do the best we can with what we have. Working
with young children has allowed me to understand the deep meaning of this.
Whenever I worked with a child in pain, I learned directly or indirectly about
the child’s mother’s story. As far as I can remember, the mother’s story was
often as sad or worst than the child’s current pain. This helped me see that
the name of the game should never be blame but compassion, and in my case, a
profound desire and an undeniable call to work to help today’s mothers do
better for their children and future generations. Unless we do something today
to revert the trend, pain and struggle will continue to be passed on from
generation to generation.
No matter what we do in life, being a mother is the hardest
thing we will ever have to do. No matter how old our children are, our role as
a mother never ends (but be careful because it needs to change.)
Stress, fear, guilt, ridiculous high expectations, lack of
self-care, lack of knowledge or certainty on what to do in each moment with
each child, and our own personal challenges and limitations are constant
companions in our journey. They deplete us from our ability to connect with the
most loving, wisest part of us. We do not need to be perfect. We do not need to
be right all the time. All we need to do is connect with love at all times. We
need to remember that we are not alone. We need to remind ourselves that our
children are not just ours. They are God’s children, and God always knows best.
In our times of stress, confusion, sadness, disappointment, fear let’s turn to
the giver of life for guidance, support and healing. In our times of joy and
happiness, let’s celebrate with the giver of life and be thankful for the
ability to experience the depths of love.
To me, there is beauty, power and sacredness in my role as a
mother. It is the closest way to connect me and to experience God’s presence in
my life.
My sisters in the motherhood journey, I want to thank you
for your courage, your strength and your
“YES” to the most important call in life: to shape and mold a sacred
human being. Let’s leave guilt and regret behind. Let’s embrace COMPASSION,
FORGIVENESS, TRUST, JOY and LOVE every step of the way.
And I want to ask for your prayers, support and best
intentions in my call to work to strengthen the motherhood experience today.
