Another rainy morning. Another morning to linger in bed longer than usual, my dog on the floor, atop the books and pillow left below. It's Mother's Day, so why shouldn't I indulge myself. And my dog. My daughter is far away in Texas. My husband farther away in Spain. Why shouldn't I be a slugabed, listening to the rain on the roof, my dog snoring? Sipping coffee that's rapidly growing cold. (Our mornings have been cool lately, here in the mountains.)
The only thing that disturbs me is a question. How many mothers can lie thus, this morning? We hear much being made of motherhood. Mitt Romney's wife calls it the "golden crown." Religious conservatives praise it non-stop. Too many of our politicians use that "golden crown" image to fight programs and laws that have made life a bit better for mothers in this country. In a deep recession, mothers need those programs and laws more than ever.
And what of the mothers in gay relationships, whether they be male or female "mothers"? Our caretakers are always our mothers, if by that we mean our nurturers, even if they only empty bedpans and give sponge baths. If we going to honor and celebrate mothers on this day, we should consider the diverse spectrum of motherhood. We should honor those mothers with real consideration, not with hypocritical sound-bites.
Happy Mother's Day to all of those who nurture and sustain the people around you.
Happy Mother's Day to all of those honor and sustain the mother who sustains us, this blue-green planet with her wildflowers and wonders. Her hungry mouths. Her many creatures huddled under leaf and brush and creek bed on this rainy Mother's Day morning.
6 comments:
Wonderful explication of a 'mother' being a nurturing individual. This extricates the gender application which subsequently speaks to 'love' has no gender. Love which is inherent/intrinsic in the nature on nurturing.
Thank you for your refrence to certain promulgated statements by a certain segment of our political ideologues and the masses that accept these patriarchic created paradigms and the hypocracy.
Although you are humanly alone at this time, the heart of your 'dog' and the rain drops are nature's eyes falling upon your isolation
Love your last paragraph and the last sentence ...Her many creatures huddled under leaf and brush and creek bed...
Gracias for this piece
Forgot to mention a most important reference you made concerning the celebration of 'mothers' not to be solely on one designated day.
Beautiful! Let's hear it for all the nurturers!
True and beautifully said, Kay.
Having had no children of my own, I used to be saddened by that fact. But now I realize that we are mothers to many when we love them, nurture them, help them reach their full potential, believe in them and glory in their success. I was fortunate to have four such children in my life. I feel like a mother and receive a card every year from one who is not my child, but I "am like a mother" to her.
This is one of the loveliest posts I've read on Mother's Day.
Glenda, it's true that we, or at least some of us, grow wiser with age and realize the different ways we can nurture each other without having given birth. Being "like a mother" can make a huge difference in someone's life. Thank you for this comment.
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