It's Mother's Day. I often have a hard time with this holiday--not because I don't have my own mother--but because I wanted children and didn't get to have them. My ex-husband didn't want them, and he and I didn't have sex often enough to worry about getting pregnant, so...
It's hard to have a void like this in my life...it's a void that cannot be filled. Before my surgery, I would try to fill it with food. Now, since that isn't possible--and since I cannot afford to fill it with earrings or shoes (not that I wouldn't like to try!)--I've accepted that I have to FEEL the void. It's a tough thing to do, but I'm trying.
This year, I had quite the surprise. Two of my 11th grade students gave me Mother's Day presents! Seriously! One girl painted me a picture; the other gave me a gift bag with silk flowers, a stuffed animal and Little Debbie oatmeal creme pies. (I told you--I eat everything--just not a LOT of anything!)
The gifts made me cry; I couldn't get over the kindness of these young women, who have shown me love in THE most special way. I'm touched beyond measure.
So to everyone who has a mother, who has lost a mother, whose biological mother was a disappointment or who is or is NOT a mother, I say this: How we know and recognize a mother figure is by her LOVE. All of us are mothers of one sort or another--biology has nothing to do with it--it's all about LOVE.
Happy Mother's Day, everyone!
It's hard to have a void like this in my life...it's a void that cannot be filled. Before my surgery, I would try to fill it with food. Now, since that isn't possible--and since I cannot afford to fill it with earrings or shoes (not that I wouldn't like to try!)--I've accepted that I have to FEEL the void. It's a tough thing to do, but I'm trying.
This year, I had quite the surprise. Two of my 11th grade students gave me Mother's Day presents! Seriously! One girl painted me a picture; the other gave me a gift bag with silk flowers, a stuffed animal and Little Debbie oatmeal creme pies. (I told you--I eat everything--just not a LOT of anything!)
The gifts made me cry; I couldn't get over the kindness of these young women, who have shown me love in THE most special way. I'm touched beyond measure.
So to everyone who has a mother, who has lost a mother, whose biological mother was a disappointment or who is or is NOT a mother, I say this: How we know and recognize a mother figure is by her LOVE. All of us are mothers of one sort or another--biology has nothing to do with it--it's all about LOVE.
Happy Mother's Day, everyone!
