As a kid, I didn’t realize the importance of Mother’s Day. I’m sure my Dad helped my brother and me pick out a hanging basket of flowers or something, but I’m certain we weren’t the best gift givers. I know that because I am still not a great gift giver. Here it is Friday, two days before Mother’s Day and I’m saying, “Oh no, it’s two days away!” That’s a problem when you live five hours from your mother and you can’t just make an impromptu visit to drop off a last-minute gift.
I didn’t realize as a child that I would graduate from high school and never again live in the same state as my parents. I didn’t realize that my time was limited, and that visits would be too few and far between. I guess as a child you think you have all the time in the world to spend with the people you love.
You think they will always be there, just around the corner, healthy and in their right minds. But now, as adults, we know that time slips away too quickly. I’ve watched my parents lose 3 of their 4 parents over the past 15 years. It aches, and each loss is a reminder that our time with each other is so precious.
And so this Mother’s Day, grab on to every precious moment you have with the people you love. Make extra moments. Whether you’re a mother, a father, childless, or parentless take this day for honoring the nurturers in our lives, and go nurture someone. Love on someone special – a single mom, a widower, an elderly friend who has possibly lost her precious memories, and those who’ve lost their own mothers.
If you do have children at home, hug them tight. One day, they might be 5 hours or more away.
Mother’s Day: It’s not about what we buy, but about buying more time with the people we do have. It’s not about what we get, but the love we can give.
Make the most of it. Have an awesome weekend celebrating the people you love.
In order to make it special with all the church stuff, I find a bit of routine helps my husband and kids no what to expect. So, I love my flower boxes and garden mother’s day weekend becomes about that and then my husband doesn’t have to stress. He knows that he’s buying me plants and then the kids and I plant them together.