It is Mother's Day and I have been effectively sequestered in my room, with a cup of coffee, while my husband and sweet children make Mother's Day magic in another part of the house. To say they are excited is an understatement. As soon as I woke up this morning, they greeted me with hugs and kisses and Mother's Day wishes. Then they bounded off after daddy because they had something special to do. It warmed my heart in ways you might only imagine. And this I know is true, I would not have had this had it not been for my husband.
You see, our littles take their cues from the bigs in their lives. My husband started prepping them two weeks ago for the special day that was all about celebrating Mama. I would often see the children huddled conspiratorially in the dining room and when I'd enter, they'd begin speaking loudly of snakes. On two occasions my husband took them solo to run errands, and my sweet littles would return with giggles and barely concealed smiles and tell me "We didn't do anything for you, Mama, sorry." Whatever this day brings us, I will love it and they will feel happy and proud for having pulled off such a surprise (only please, God, don't let it really be about a snake).
And as I write, coffee warming my belly and sweet laughter from afar warming my heart, I am acutely aware of how fortunate I am. You see, there are many Mamas among us who are, effectively, unseen on Mother's Day. Divorced mother's of young children whose former spouses don't facilitate their children doing anything special for Mama on this, the one day of the year dedicated to us. There are military Mamas whose husbands are deployed, who may or may not get a phone call or a gift sent via the blessing of the internet. There are widowed Mamas, women on their own who may still be dealing with the pain of loss, perhaps doubly so on this day of celebration. There are women who, for many reasons, are separated from their children, who don't have the joy of everyday moments and don't have the opportunity to celebrate this day together. There are Mamas with Angel Babies who grieve, perhaps more on this day as they are so acutely aware of their loss. There are Aunties, with no children of their own, who have still "mothered" and loved and been an integral part of their nieces and nephew's lives, who don't have a special day to celebrate their role. The list goes on and on, the unseen.
This Mother's Day, I ask you to reach out. There will be Mamas in your life who may feel unseen today, see them. Reach out and tell them you recognize how big they love, how much they do, that you see their sacrifice. Notice these Mamas and give them some love. After all, that's what today is all about.