The Aftermath of...

...Mother's Day is always interesting to watch.

You have a handful of moms who received wonderful thoughtful gifts and proclaim their pride in their children and spouses. It's wonderful!

Then you have the vast majority who had a Mother's Day that was less than stellar.

My beef with Mother's Day?

Do I really need a single day to know that my spouse and children love me and appreciate me?

I better fucking not! There better be no question of whether or not I'm loved by my family.

Mother's Day is a Hallmark holiday, just like Valentine's Day and Father's Day. It's a day to set up a specific group for disappointment at the hand of corporations who could give a rat's ass if your family treats you like a queen (or king) as long as you go buy shitty cards and flowers that will die within a week and create a collection of vases that just take up space. It's all about money.

On Mother's Day, I used to have huge expectations. I expected my kids not to fight and to come together to do something meaningful to make me feel loved on my special day. I expected my husband to field everything and to make sure that I felt special. My husband never disappointed, even though I'm not his mother, but my kids were kids. I was frustrated, yelling and crying about "How could you do this to me on my special day! I just want one day a year where it's about me!"

But really, it's not about me. At all. It's about the fact that someone calls me "Mom" and they do special things all year long to let me know how much they love me. Snuggling on the couch to watch a movie, a call from a teenager, a swiped flower from a neighbor's yard, an unsolicited "I love you", a hug, a smile, a thank you. THAT'S what being a mom is all about.

Not some one day celebration of motherhood.

It's nice when they remember, but it's nicer when they do it because they want to, not because a calendar says they have to.

~Kim