Mother's Day Reflections
A field of flowers
As we transition out of Mother’s Day weekend here in the United States, I am overwhelmed with gratitude for the strong women in my life who have played a role in influencing my journey. What this calls to mind is that, while there are biological mothers, there are mother figures who can be almost anyone in our lives.
We need to be mindful not to make assumptions about relationships and roles that people have in the lives of others. In some families, it might be grandma who is more of the mother figure. In others, it might be an aunt or sister. And still in others, it might be someone outside of the family, like a family friend.
Why does this matter?
The first reason is so that we do not fall into the trap of making assumptions. In all fairness, our brains like to make neat categories to save energy. However, that is not an excuse. It tasks us all with taking a moment to check our thoughts to make sure we are not assuming. If we are assuming, we need to do a check by asking questions to check-in or do some research about our thoughts depending on the scenario. This next step is key. That is to do some self-reflection about why we made that assumption. There is so much to learn in the last step.
The second reason focuses more on how that impacts the other person. To illustrate this point, take a person who may have been raised by their grandma and thinks of their grandma as more of a mother figure. Then the grandma dies. What can often happen is that the person will hear comments like, “At least it was your grandma,” or “Thankfully you still have your mother.” That can be devastating to that person. This example is just one of many. By not jumping to assumption we keep our minds and hearts open to other possibilities and even connection.
take action today moment:
As we transition into the days and week ahead pay attention to what assumptions come up for you and how they play a role in your life. How do assumptions serve you? How do they not serve you?
Also consider saying thank you to the caregivers that you know. Chances are it will make their day!
As you take time to do this exercise, remember to stay curious, open, and to hold your journey with compassion.
Learn More About Mother’s Day:
Here's How 9 Other Countries Celebrate Mother's Day