Mother’s Day–Celebrating Motherhood, Whatever Its Form

Yesterday we celebrated Mother’s Day and had a great time together as a family.  Our day began at church and, as is typical, our congregation honored mothers.  As one of the pastoral staff recognized various types of women (mothers of biological children, mothers of adopted children, women unable to be mothers, mothers who have had a child die, mothers who have given a child up for adoption), I found myself wondering, “When did Mother’s Day become so complicated?  It used to be so simple.”

Obviously a goal was to make Mother’s Day accessible to women who may find it painful or exclusionary.  Not being a woman, I don’t know if the attempt was successful.  My guess is that there were women present who appreciated the broader view and the recognition of their various relationships to this celebration.

Then I found myself reading the closing article of the latest edition of Sports Illustrated (May 9, 2011).  The article, “A Mother’s Day Gift” by Phil Taylor, is the story of Joe Riddle and Ellen Durfey-Wright.  It gave me a deeper appreciation for our congregation’s more complex view of Mother’s Day.  It reminded me again of the healing power of love and the elastic nature of family.  I’d encourage you to click on the link and read the story for yourself.

To all mothers – we are thankful for your contributions to our lives.

To my mother – I will love you always!

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