Today is Mother’s Day!
I live with the blessings of being both a mother and a daughter. I enjoy the blessings of our three sons marking this moment in time and I appreciate being able to take this day to especially be grateful to both my mother and mother-in-law.
I am also mindful of those who may not welcome this date with love and grand memories. Not all are blessed as I was with a mom who was devoted to raising myself and my siblings with love and faithfulness, learning the ways of charity, service and justice. Not all will have their mom here on earth to mark this day of honoring moms. For that, I am sorry.
I am mindful this day, of all those amazing and courageous women who are birth moms to children. Those moms who have placed their children into the hearts and arms of other dads and moms, to raise their child through adoption leave me breathless. I am moved to consider the incredible unselfish love this care for the child they gave birth to and then blessed another to raise as their own.
There also is a mindfulness of those who are grieving their children who have died, many before they were held in their parents loving arms. Having recently been honored to sit and listen to the stories of parents who have buried their child, I have heard their anxiety and sadness with these days approaching that have the focus of recognizing moms and dads.
Bereaved parents teach me. They teach me that “pro-life”, includes and must honor those who have experienced the death of their children. They teach me to ask about their deceased child, to honor their stories, to hear of their loss. The loss of a child, as any loss, carries the loss of hopes, dreams and plans that will not come to be for those who survive the death.The loss of a child includes those many dates marked in time by others. Birthdays, holidays, Sacramental celebrations, graduations, weddings, grandchildren among many. For those who have endured years following their beloved child’s death, they continue to need us, to need compassion and care in their loss. I have found grace in the moments of a smile returning to a mom and/or dad as they tell about their deceased child.
It is my experience, in all loss, that those who survive find comfort in their beloved being remembered. To speak their name is such a reverence to life. To provide bereaved people the opportunity to share and remember their deceased mom, grandma and or child, is a great blessing.
Those who are grieving and missing a beloved remember. They remember, they celebrate and they believe in the promise of resurrection and reunion one day. While it may not be always comfortable to listen, I do believe it is important for to intentionally honor others in their loss. I believe it is our call to love our neighbors; to ask about their child, their mom, their grandmother and to say their name. Take a few minutes to share the stories and memories of the deceased person and honor their life this Mother’s Day. I am certain, you too will be blessed.
Believe n love, Geralyn
Geralyn Nathe-Evans has been called to the vocations of wife, mom, Lay Ecclesial Minister, nurse and friend.