A Mother’s Day Love Letter

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mother's day

Happy Mother’s Day to a mom who has good days and bad days. I love you even on the bad days. Love, Me XOXO.

Another Mother’s Day is quickly approaching, and the flower order has already been placed. It may sound bizarre, but for the past two years, I have ordered flowers to be delivered to me the day before Mother’s Day, along with a note written and signed by me!

Yup! I went there…I sent myself my own flowers!

It’s not because my family doesn’t celebrate me on this particular day, they do, but I realized two years ago that it is also important for me to celebrate myself. 

So many days I spend feeling guilty over little things, ignoring my own needs, or quite often self-deprecating and feeling as if I’m not good enough.

After years of this, I realized I needed to find a better place, a more content place for me, the adult woman I  am, as well as a mom. I came to the realization that I needed to love myself more, and that includes the beautiful and ugly parts of my personality, the areas I wish I could erase as well as ones to celebrate. I needed to start with one day, so to keep it simple, I chose Mother’s Day.

The first year, when the doorbell rang, early in the morning, and the flowers were left on the front porch I ran excitedly to the door to retrieve the long brown box. My family surrounded me, wondering who sent me flowers. There was an element of suspicion and excitement in the air as I read the card aloud with a smile. They laughed as I silently gave myself a long hug for finally validating who I am as a woman and mom.

I was finally able to accept that as a mom, I’m doing the best that I can since we all know there isn’t a handbook for parenting. 

As the day progressed, and I kept taking a peek at the small white rectangle propped up against the base of the clear glass vase with my sentiments on it, I came to another epiphany. This form of self-love and adoration cannot only occur one day a year. To be the type of mom I want to be, this love needs to happen daily. 

There has to be a daily practice, whether that means taking time for myself, surrounding myself with my family, or recognizing that it’s okay to be a mom who has highs and lows filled with failures and successes.

I need to love every part of me fully and accept that I’m a true work in progress. 

One simple gesture opened my heart and mind up to the discovery of my true self and who I am supposed to be as a mother and as a woman.

May you find joy and many blessings on your special day and continue to love and dote on yourself daily, for we are all deserving of self-love.

I challenge you to send yourself a love letter, maybe include flowers too, reminding yourself of how special, unique, and loved you truly are, as a woman and a mom, in this journey of life and self-discovery. 

Happy Mother’s Day Mamas!

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Ali Flynn
Ali lives in New York with her four teenage daughters and her husband. After moving around a bit as a child, she spent her teen years in Westchester county, moved to NYC for college and returned to Westchester fifteen years ago. Prior to having the girls, she was an English teacher, and on the side always enjoyed writing with the hope to one day publish a poetry book. In her free time, Ali enjoys going on long runs, browsing independent bookstores, catching up with friends. She is in a constant state of doing laundry, cooking, policing arguments, driving to and from activities, and trying her best to be the kind of mom her girls will admire, even on her worst days. Ali is excited to share with you the joys and hardships of motherhood with an open heart. You can follow Ali on Facebook at https:www.facebook.com/hangintheremama/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/hang.in.there.mama