Amanda Salisbury

Public displays of affection are not the easiest, most natural thing for me. To explain what I mean is to watch me on holidays, special days, and celebrations via social media. My posts do not equal my thoughts, and purposefully so. Sadly, for me and my kind, presence or absence in one’s life is increasingly tied to presence or absence in social media. It is yet another work in progress topic for me.

This is my attempt at presenting with some sort of coherence my complicated feelings on Mother’s Day.

1. When every day is special, no day will be. Read this two ways. First, every day on the calendar honors someone, something, some tradition, some concept. I ignore many of these as I simply don’t have it in me to celebrate that much. Second, if I try to remember a special person every day and succeed many days, then the BIG day is not as wrought.
2. Some mothers manage to be more awesome than not.
3. Some mothers do not try to be more awesome than not.
4. Some mothers have children in promise if not in legalistics.
5. Some mothers are waiting to be.
6. Some mothers always will be waiting to be.
7. Some mothers become so over time, with the biological and emotional trappings growing slowly.
8. Some mothers become so all at once.
9. Some mothers are gone.
10. Some mothers are missed.
11. Some mothers grow weary of the word ‘mama’.
12. Some mothers would do anything to hear ‘mama’ again.
13. Some mothers are fathers.
14. Some mothers sacrifice.
15. Some mothers bear secret pain.
16. Some mothers will never hold a little one.
17. Some mothers would will themselves into existence.
18. Some mothers struggle to keep afloat.
19. Some mothers offer more good than bad.
20. Some mothers offer more bad than good.
21. Some mothers are loved.
22. Some mothers are despised.
23. Some mothers are at fault.
24. Some mothers are above reproach.
25. Some mothers fail.
26. Some mothers try again.
27. Not all mothers deserve your praise.
28. Not all mothers fit your life’s definition of the word.
29. Not all mothers are blessings.
30. Not all mothers are ever present.
31. Not all mothers are anything.
32. Mother is one who brings up something beyond self with care and affection.
33. Mother is one who has, bears, produces something beyond self.

If you define yourself as mother today, may you have joy, may you be the mother you intend to be, may you be fruitful, may you continue nurturing with care and affection.

If you do not define yourself as mother today, may you honor the act of mothering wherever it occurs well.

If you have no true mother, no one who brings you up with care and affection, you have received less than you deserve.

If your mother is unseen, whether unknown or past this world, may you have peace and remember with joy whatever you can, letting all else fall away.

Happy Mother’s Day Mom, Sisters, Aunts, Cousins, Grandmothers

Happy Mother’s Day Writers, Artists, Woodworkers, Engineers, Scientists, Mathematicians, Creators

Happy Mother’s Day everyone ever nourished with one who might be Mother