What Motherhood Means: a Growing Bolder Perspective

In

Recently, we asked our Team GB Elite bloggers to share their memories, thoughts or reflections on Mother’s Day. We know that motherhood is not the same experience for everyone, and so we left it up to each writer to give his or her perspective.

Some of the posts are funny. Many are thought-provoking. Some are poignant. And all are Growing Bolder.

Our newest blogger, Pam of Patina & Hue, gives Growing Bolder an incredible inside look at her family, and the mothers who came before her:

PamMother’s Day is also a reminder that behind each of us is a lineage of strong women, whether a mother, an aunt, a big sister or a family friend, typically older and wiser who seems to know when we need her most. Our women role models often teach us who we would like to be, or in some cases, demonstrate behaviors we might just decide to NOT take on and whether good or bad, they influence who we become. We all have a legacy of women that came before us and touched our lives, mine are on my maternal side: my Mother Mary, Grandmother GG and Great-Grandmother Mitzy.

For Mary Flynn, writing about her own mother is difficult, but also a celebration of love. In “Mommy,” Mary expresses her memories in a poem.

Mary FlynnI thought of you today
when I fixed the turnips
that made the house
smell of Thanksgiving;
you, there in your apron,
glasses steamed from
the open oven door, dots
of gravy on the stove top,
a pie, a pot, a dish, a cake,
candied yams and onion peel.
Sweetness and tears.

Mary T. Wagner writes about a moment that not only changed her life — it changed the future of her family. Called “The Gatorade Reality Check,” Mary says she hopes it shows how our sense of what’s important in life can change in a heartbeat, and the lengths we go to keep a soft cocoon around our babies when life sends us difficult storms to weather:

Mary WagnerI have often said that my children created me rather than the other way around. All four of them are now fully-fledged adults, and there are even grandchildren in the picture. The joy, the love, the creativity, the inspiration, the spontaneous ignition points of discovery and adventure seen through brand new eyes…all are facets of life that I treasure and am profoundly grateful for.

And for Liz Kitchens, parenting is a paradox! A trip to Chicago to help care for her new grand-daughter led Liz to realize how important it is to take time for ourselves:

Liz KitchensI had coffee recently with a Lady Boomer friend.  Her 92 year old father had recently passed away.  While his passing was not a surprise given his age, the significance of the loss was profound.  But she has not really been afforded the opportunity to sit with her grief.  She is being pulled by so many sources and obligations.  Her adult children and even her husband are making a lot of demands on her time and emotional resources.  All these demands leave little space and stamina for one’s own needs and wants.

Karen also shared a beautiful update on her Mother’s Day and why “nurturing” is such an important word for her.

And Karen Putz shares a tribute to her mother:

karen-putz-and-momMother’s Day is coming up and so is my mom’s birthday. This year, she will turn 87. Eighty-seven. I find it hard to comprehend that number, so I choose not to. My mom is my rock–she’s the one I turn to in the ups and downs of life. She raised five kids and always managed to squeeze a quarter out of a penny.

It was a bit of a scary holiday thanks to a medical scare, but Karen used the experience to celebrate how wonderful her relationship with her mom is.

No matter what Mother’s Day means to you, we hope you are able to take some time during this special holiday and salute someone in your life that has helped you on your path to Growing Bolder.