Another Mothers’ Day

Mothers’ Day is Sunday (but you didn’t need me to remind you) and like many such days comes with all kinds of expectations of declarations of love and devotion, breakfasts in bed, dinners or brunches at fancy restaurants, and general fussing over mom. Fathers’ Day is more my style, relaxed backyard barbecues (not that I have a backyard), strange gifts, and a lot less fussing. With all this mom fussing comes stress, guilt and expectations of a good time. No pressure.

It’s likely that even if you asked your mom what she’d like to do for mothers’ day she demurred, saying something along the lines of ‘no need to do anything special’ which she may or may not mean. I think most people could actually articulate what they really want, if we (moms, women) felt like we could answer that honestly. Instead we’ve been taught to put ourselves last, and many of us are uncomfortable naming what would be an ideal mothers’ day, even if that perfect day would involve less fussing and expense and more of you in your jammies all day, reading while the rest of the family goes out! Did anyone ask you what you’d like? Did you tell them? If you did I applaud you, and chances are pretty good you’ll get what you want.

I will be spending mothers’ day planting my planters for the spring/summer and getting my deck ready for the season. If that sounds like a fun time to you, stop over and help me, because it doesn’t sound fun to me. I think I’d like to walk along the river, go to the Art Museum, I’d like to go out, but it will be too crowded everywhere! Maybe I’ll get pizza. Mothers’ Day just doesn’t mean all that much to me anymore. If it means a lot to you, I hope you get everything you’re hoping for. I wish you the perfect day, the one you really want. I wish for you that is anyone asks you can name exactly what would make your mothers’ day a great one.