This is the first Mother's Day ever without his Mom for my husband; his 90 year old mother passed away last year the day after Thanksgiving. He watched his mother, who raised four children (one of them autistic), turn into a frail woman who needed oxygen 24/7, and eventually could not get out of bed on her own.
His last living aunt passed away on Wednesday at age 107. One of her two sons predeceased her - two weeks after my mother in law died.
Do you want to know something strange? Last year, as my mother in law spent her last months in a nursing home, I kept seeing butterflies. Even this January, when I was down in Florida, I kept seeing butterflies.
This spring, I keep seeing cardinals. In fact, as I wrote this blog post yesterday, (sitting in the back yard) I saw one briefly. And, earlier this week, the day after my husband's aunt died, I dreamed that I was sitting in my house and a black bird flew over to me, as a pet bird might. I was so delighted as the black bird started to play with me. I felt the type of love, right in my dream, that I would feel for a pet. It's been years since I've had a pet, though. (Long story).
So who knows? Maybe I'm being told not to be so sad.
I am reminded, though, of all the people for whom Mother's Day is a day of hurt and/or sadness. One of them may be you, or someone you know.
Be gentle to people day. You don't know what feelings today triggers in them.
To everyone in my life who has had a mother, or is/was a mother, or who acts as a mother to a child, I wish you the happiest of days today.
Happy Mother's Day!
ReplyDeleteHave a lovely mothers day.
ReplyDeleteCoffee is on
I was thinking complicated thoughts as I was looking for a Mother's Day card for my mother. There's a sort of cold war going on between us at the moment, so I know what you mean about today being weird for some people.
ReplyDeleteAlana,
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you got to spend Mother's Day with your son. My children sent me a text wishing me a Happy Mother's Day and while I appreciate it, I wish they thought more than that by simply calling me to say the same thing. They don't realize the importance of those phone calls to not only me but for themselves later.
I know this Mother's Day had to be hard on your husband. This makes DH's 5th year without his mom. It's hard to believe that she's not with us. She was ever bit a mom to me as she was to him. That's very special.
I believe God sends us signs of comfort as you received the butterflies and cardinals. He gives us what we need at the moment we need it. I remember when my brother passed I would dream about him nearly every night. It didn't make me sad but made me warm instead. I felt like JC was visiting me one last time, so that was a huge blessing.
Special occasions such as Mother's/Father's Day can bring mixed feelings. Not all parents/children have a good relationship or maybe the parent is no longer living so it can be a difficult day for many. We should always practice being kind to others regardless of what the day is.
Thank you for joining me on Mother's Day and for the thoughts wishes. I hope your day was filled with much love and happiness, my dear friend! xx