Mother’s Day Mindfulness

During the past week,  I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about Mother’s Day. Looking back on my own changing  perspectives on Mother’s Day and paying attention to the significance of the day for many others in my life, past and present.  

A few years ago, I was working as a therapist on Mother’s Day in an acute psychiatric hospital. Charged with the responsibility of planning the group leisure activity for the day, I researched some trivia about the holiday and thought about the needs of my patients.  I gained several new perspectives.

1. Simply put,  “it sucks to be in a hospital on any holiday”.  
2. Being confined to a locked unit on Mother’s Day, dealing with mental health issues takes “it sucks” to a new level.
3. The history of Mother’s Day in this country is not completely happy.
4. The “commercialization” of Mother’s Day triggers varied emotions, and for many people it is not a happy day at all.
5. Other cultural groups celebrate Mother’s Day in different ways on different days.
6. Everyone on this planet falls into at least one of the following categories:

A. Mothers

B. People who have mothers

C. People who have lost mothers

D. People who have “mother issues”

7. Chocolate makes almost everything a little better.

Today, I am grateful that I still have a living mother, that I am a mother, a stepmother, and a grandmother. As I slowly savor my chocolate, I’m mindful that this can be a difficult day for those who have lost their mothers, as well as for those who have dysfunctional relationships with their mothers.

If you’re fortunate enough to be having a Happy Mother’s Day, 
I wish you a “Mindful Mother’s Day”.
If you’re having a tough time today, I wish you peace of mind...and chocolate.