This is my very first Mother's Day as a mother. It feels odd to me. It seems to me that Mother's Day has at least as much angst associated with it as Valentine's Day. Much like Valentine's Day, however, my only beef with Mother's Day is the profuse amount of pink.
I don't like pink.
But otherwise, I've never had the relationship/status-envy that these holidays seem to generate. I never stood up for a gift before I was a mother (I didn't this year, either, but they found me anyways.) I never felt all of this social guilt or disappointment.
My question is why-oh-why do people use holidays as guiltfests, rather than just relaxing and honoring whatever the holiday is there to honor? Does it always have to be personal? What is wrong with focusing on honoring your mother, rather than focusing on yourself? Even if your mother was a venomous harridan, you should be able to at least honor the idea of motherhood.
I love the quote: There are billions of planets orbiting around billions of suns in billions of solar systems orbiting in billions of galaxies, all orbiting around the center of the universe.
That center . . . is not you.
Wonderful post, SilverRain! I am so with you in wishing that the people who get so worked up about the observance of Mother's Day would just relax a bit. I absolutely loved your line, "Even if your mother was a venomous harridan, you should be able to at least honor the idea of motherhood."
ReplyDeleteAnd I think you hit the nail on the head with your final paragraphs. Great quote!
I tend to share your feelings, SilverRain. I can sympathize and understand, but I have a hard time when Mother's Day is easily made a sort of uncomfortable day for everyone trying not to offend everyone else around them. I really am all the more anxious about it after reading the post we commented on. It seems there is no good answer, so you have to guess and do your best and assume you will probably step on a toe or two. Sigh.
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