Mother’s Day is special in its own right, a day to be celebrated for the unparalleled gift of something so immeasurably beautiful.

But for many, this day is tinged with sadness, disguised behind a feigned smile that shields an aching heart.

Let us remember that for every “I love you, Momma” inscribed in a carefully chosen hallmark card, there is an “I miss you, Momma” crystallized in the tears of loved ones left behind…

for every home filled with the love and laughter of family, there is an empty room permeated with the subtle echoes that tell a story of what once was…

for every dirty little handprint scrubbed off the wall, there is an empty-nester tracing the shadows of yesterday’s memories…

for every divorced momma relishing in their children’s undivided devotion, there is a “bonus” mom left with the reminder that her family will never be whole on this day…

for every affectionate embrace shared today, there are arms left barren that long for such unrivaled warmth…

for every mother that prays over her sweet little nestling tonight, there is a mother kneeling over her breathless child bartering with a higher power to take her instead…

for every sweet lullaby that softly fills the air, there is a deafening silence that can only be heard by a childless mother…

for every dazzling bouquet of fresh flowers prepared for delivery, there is a narrow white banner with the word “MOM” inscribed in gold and delicately placed atop a parched silk arrangement made to endure the outdoor elements…

for every cradle brimming with the songful notes of a baby’s coo, there is an empty one still laden with tears of grief or a shadow of hope…

and for every restless new momma celebrating her long-anticipated 1st Mother’s Day, there is an equally weary momma clinging to her very last…

For so many…and perhaps for you too…this special day is eclipsed with a bittersweet awareness.

So remember to be kind, and always considerate. We all carry a certain measure of grief…some simply bury it so deep that you won’t find it etched into the involuntary curves of their faces. Instead, the rest of the world merely detects a rehearsed smile that unknowingly burrows the ache that consumes the space within their bones.

If you are hurting today, know that you are not forgotten. Know that I see you there, behind that smile, with all of the ache dripping from your fingertips. I SEE you, and I sit beside you.

My prayer for you today is that you have the strength to unhinge your ribcage, peer into the depths of you, acknowledge the hurt and quietly whisper “I will survive”.

You are not alone 🖤

xxoo

Maura