I know a lot of women who don’t have a good relationship with their own mothers. Of course they love them, but for whatever reason there is tension in their relationship. Maybe there is judgement. Abandonment. Lack of personal boundaries. No respect for decisions made as they entered into adulthood. An unspoken feeling of favoritism towards another sibling. A feeling of never being good enough. Whatever the reason, the relationship between their mother and daughter bond has been strained.
Some may say I am lucky to have the relationship I do with my Mum. It hasn’t always been perfect, but it has always been unconditional. I remember being told as a teenager how rude and disrespectful I was to her. Of course, as a teen the words, “It’s not what you say, it’s how you say it” may as well have been said in a foreign language. It meant absolutely nothing to me. I had no clue what that even meant…until my daughters turned in to teenagers and I found myself repeating the exact words my mother once said to me! All of a sudden, those words came alive with truth.
Today, I get to praise my Mum on this public platform, because after all, it is my public platform to speak from. And when my Mum came over recently to watch my children so I could go to a photography convention on the mainland, I decided what better way to honour her than to make her a part of my Motherhood Project. You see, if it wasn’t for my Mum, I wouldn’t be the woman I am today. She has allowed me to make mistakes. Allowed me to cry and scream when I was mad. Encouraged me to move half way around the world, without too many tears. And she has allowed me to raise my children without judgement or condemnation. She is my biggest cheer leader. My most supportive advocate and the one person I know I can count on to be there whenever I need her. The love that she has for each of her children is truly grace filled. It is the very definition of a Godly love.
When I think of my Mum, two things in particular come to mind….one, her quiet disposition. I wouldn’t use the word meek, although she has a meek spirit about her, but she is one who listens before she speaks. She doesn’t just talk for the sake of hearing her own voice (unlike me at times!) and if she has something to say, she deliberates before speaking. The other thing that comes to mind is her laughter. She is a genuinely happy person. Of course she has her days when she needs to vent, cry, or yell…we all do, but her authentic manner is one of joy. I laugh a lot with my mum. I love that she displays such pure joy in her life. She hasn’t always had an easy life, but she has chosen to overcome and live in the moments that bring her joy. Her children. Her grand children. Her best friends. Her family. Her relationship with God. These are the simple pleasures that my Mum dwells in.
Some may call me lucky, but I say I am blessed. Blessed to call this woman my Mum. Blessed to have her as an example of life and Motherhood. Blessed that no matter what, she will always love me. And that even as an almost 40 year old women, I can still sit on her lap and know she will put her arms around me, listen to me, offer advice if asked and love me unconditionally. My mum is the reason I am the mother I am today to my own children. My Mum is the reason I am Intimate, Grace-filled and Sentimental. Thank you Mum, for the legacy you are leaving for our future generations. I cannot imagine my life without you.
A big thank you to Katrina Meyer for coming over and capturing these moments with mum and I. You have no idea how much I appreciate it.
Want to read more stories on how to celebrate and embrace your #sentimentallife? Check out these wonderful people: Tori Pintar, Jessica Eileen, Rachel Abelson, Cindy Harter, Jen Snyder, Amanda Red, Gregory Byerline, Katrina Meyer, Jason Henriques,
