Whatever you think of Mother’s Day, it is marked in some way by most of us. In my pursuit of less and being more intentional about what I buy…Mother’s Day is not a gift giving day for us. It is a day of little things; coffee in bed, a flower by my mug, conversations over food, a walk.
Last year, to mark each of my girls and the impact they have made on my life, I decided to turn the tables and give each of them a token; a letter. We do this on their birthdays too but I decided to make it a record of how I feel to be their mum at this exact time in their wee lives. To celebrate the stages they are at and to speak truth into their wee hearts. A window into my thoughts and feelings. Here. Now.
The very act of letter writing, the slow and thoughtful process is one I love. The lingering over words and the script of a hand written note that can be held and felt, lifted and reread. Maybe a overtly romantic notion but in the whirlwind of life it’s one I like to hold on to.
I love that they will be able to look back. That they could reread when they have children of their own, when I have long forgotten the moments of this season of motherhood and will be in the next.
So to my girls…I hope I have many more years of letter writing ahead. I hope you will treasure them more with each year that passes and that in the years to come they remind you of the times we spent and the moments I cherished, for there are many I store up in my heart and many I will forget though I try my best to hold them tight. Remind me, when I’m old and snuggling little babes again, in a different stage of life, of the woman I was in the throes of a house with noisy, giggling girls…when I tried my best to live in the moment and take hold of the important parts of this season. When I asked you to stop growing and to stay with me forever. When I ranted and raved about stupid and unimportant things and I got to lie on the sofa and watch you dance for what seemed like hours on end.
Replay those moments for me; remind me. Forget the bad and embrace the messiness that comes with family and forgiveness. Look back and remember the girls you once were…lovely, beautiful and vibrant. Know that you were cherished, seen, loved and known by an imperfect but privileged mum.
So if you’re not sorted for Mother’s day and haven’t much time to spare…go write that letter. Wrap it up in a pretty handmade envelope or wrap it with a foraged flower, it doesn’t matter. But say what needs to be said, the things that are often known but not put into words. Write them down, because we sometimes underestimate the power of speaking truth and encouragement into the hearts of those we love. Let them know they are loved, forget the bad and embrace the good in each other. We all fall short in many ways and fail those around us but we all have the capacity to forgive, to whisper truth.
And what better way to start a Mother’s Day than to hear or deliver an ‘I love you’.
No better present.
xx
