I'm feeling a bit under-appreciated lately and I'm having a little pity party for myself today. That doesn't happen often, so I'm indulging for awhile. I think I've just spent too much time encouraging others, building them up, telling them how proud I am of them, and suddenly I don't have an ounce left to give. Nothing. Zilch. The well has run dry.
You see, no one can constantly give and give and receive little in return. Unless you're Mother Teresa, which I'm not. And if you're not careful, you'll find yourself in the same pit I'm in. It's so important that we take care of ourselves, too. Sometimes that just requires surrounding ourselves with people who give back.
Ladies, as Mother's Day approaches, take some time to nourish your soul. This can be a painful time for many -- those who never married and never had the family they longed for, those who are infertile, those who have lost children -- in and out of the womb, those who are waiting for prodigals to return home, and those who have lost their beloved mothers. For all of us, I wish us peace this coming Sunday. May your longings be covered in grace.
Hana
Mother's Day is just two days away. For many, it's a time to celebrate their moms and grandmas. Others celebrate the wonder of being a mom. But what about the other women... those whose moms and grandmas are no longer with them. Those who longed for children, yet remain childless. Or how about those who once knew the wonder of a child, but whose arms are now empty? What about the mother of a prodigal they've not heard from in years? Sometimes, mothers sit alone all day because their adult children are just too busy to bother with them, even on a day that is set aside to honor them.
Yes, Mother's Day is a time for celebration for many. But it's also a time of great pain.
After giving up a baby for adoption in 1980, I knew the agony of empty arms.
After losing my own mother in January 2013, I know that grief that occurs as I pass the Mother's Day display of cards at the grocery store.
So, yes, I understand a bit of what others might be feeling. But compared to the pain some of you live with on Mother's Day and beyond, I am clueless. What I don't want to be is insensitive. So, when you see my Mother's Day greetings here on the blog and on social media, know that they come with a prayer for all of you who are hurting. Empty arms are the most painful of all.
Love to you, dear one,
