Mother’s Day Is Complicated

I’m in bed right now. My kids (with the charge led by my 12-year-old) wanted to bring me breakfast in bed for Mother’s Day. They made apple cheddar biscuits and pancakes. And though I heard a lot of squabbling while the food assembly was going on, they were quite proud of themselves when they brought me the results. Then all three kids brought up (unexpectedly) brought up their own plates of food and ate in bed with me — while I prayed that nothing would spill on the comforter.

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May 8, 2022

A Day of Subtle Reminders

I was at a conference in San Antonio this week, and it was long and exhausting. After arriving home late on Wednesday evening, Thursday seemed like a day to take it easy. Ger and I went out to lunch at a tiny restaurant that featured wine and small plates. I had first been there years ago with a book club that I had joined when we first moved to Illinois, and many times since with friends. It was Ger’s first time at the restaurant. Continue reading “A Day of Subtle Reminders” →

May 11, 2019

An Unease with Mother’s Day

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Motherhood is complicated. Mother’s Day is complicated. Other holidays have all kinds of triggers for those that are grieving. Christmas can be a time of forced joy when all that’s felt is pain. Thanksgiving centers around being thankful, when often sentiments are far from that place. But no other holiday is as dedicated and blatant as Mother’s Day for a mother who has lost a child. The day when her motherhood is put under the spotlight, with a crowd cheering “Be happy! Be appreciated! YOU ARE A MOM!” Continue reading “An Unease with Mother’s Day” →

May 13, 2018