May 13, 2012

Mother's Day and Other Spiritual Concepts

I re-learned a lesson today about the origins of Mother's Day in my spiritual fellowship.

Julia Ward Howe (who wrote the Battle Hymn of the Republic) was the first woman to dream of a day to bring mothers together across the divide of North and South following the Civil War.

Her influence was not enough to make it a national holiday. Not until the outbreak of World War I, did this idea grow roots and become a political action. Now it is a day of cards and flowers.

For me it is a day of some mixed emotions. I am glad to be a mom.  But I have a rather confused and conflicted relationship with my mom who is still alive. I guess tradition would have me send her a white and red carnation.

I did honor my mom with a set of hand-knit washcloths with a heart in the middle of each.  

She had the huztpa to call me to see if she was getting a card the day before her package arrive, but not the grace to say thank you when it reached her.

Oh well, my own gratitude practice is enough.  I am grateful she can be herself with me.

I invite everyone to celebrate your own "Inner Mother," especially if you, like me, did not get the best nurturing from your Mother. I invite this Inner Celebration whether you are a man or woman.

I came across this idea today which sort of fits my study of a Higher Power (God) and my faith walk.

"Mother is another name for God... in the life of a child.."

Funny  but, I told my mom this week that I had been born again... as a child!  The Tao of Pooh helped me to see this as the next stage of my adult development.o

2 comments:

  1. That's good that you can see her being comfortable enough to say that to you. It's not easy being a mother sometimes. or a daughter.

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  2. I think that often it is hard for people to express their true feelings. I am glad that you honored your mother by remembering her with a gift.

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