Happy Mother’s Day to non-traditional Mothers!
Lots of different kinds of moms out there who need to celebrate, too!
Most of the people I know personally didn’t have the greatest moms. Those of us who are over fifty, often had moms who lived second class lives, were perfectionists, or worried what the neighbors thought, or had to choose secretarial, teaching or nursing careers. If they wanted to be astronauts, scientists or mathmaticians they were mostly out of luck. Yes, our moms did their best, but they didn’t always want us, their daughters, to be bold, adventurous, and have a ‘voice.’
If you had a happy childhood and an ideal mother, I applaud you. In fact, I envy you, and I can’t begin to imagine such an incredible life.
The truth is, I have many friends, including my two grown daughters, who are not mothers in the traditional sense, and never intend to be. Yet they are nuturing souls who keep things alive, feed the birds, love with all their hearts their beloved dogs and cats, and otherwise take care of the world. So if you are a ‘mom’ to a sweet animal, Happy Mother’s Day! You deserve a celebration as much as anyone. Or if you couldn’t have human children, choose not to, or are raising your grandchildren, or raised your siblings, or are a loving, nurturing friend, today is for you, too.
Whatever kind of mother you are, may you feel grace and acceptance today. May you feel loved. May you get some rest.
Love you!
Susan
P.S. Feel free to send this to your friends who are non-traditional mom using the link below.
Thank you for this column. It touches the lives of more people than you can imagine. Everyone who is reading this column has had a mother, even if we are not one ourselves, and the variety of experiences we have had does not make this a simple day of celebration...but for many of us there is tremendous gratitude toward those women who have been in our lives and made a difference, perhaps even THE difference in how we turned out.