Some women are blessed to raise all of their children that they have carried and nurtured in their womb, others have had to learn on a day to day basis, how to live without their precious tiny sons or daughters that they have carried and nurtured in their womb.
I never believed that I would fall into the bereaved category. To tell you the truth, I had never heard of the word "bereaved," until Isaiah passed. I guess I really DID NOT want to even touch the thought of loosing a child. I would rather go blind or loose a limb.
This Mother's Day crept up on me, and when I realized how close it was, I silently dreaded the thought of getting through the day. Not that I don't love celebrating the blessing of my four boys that I love on every day, but it magnifies the feeling of loss. I feel like an incomplete mother. In a way, I am. I am required to take the strength that God unravels along the journey. His Grace Is Sufficient.
I read an article in The Compassionate Friends newsletter that was sent to my home, and after reading this article, it has changed the way that I will view Mother's Day, forever! It states on how Mother's Day really came about. You would have never imagined that it was really intended for the bereaved.
Here is part of the article. The history behind the making of Mother's Day....
"Mother's Day was the creation of a woman named Anna Jarvis in the early years of this century. Anna, who never married and never had children of her own, devoted herself to establishing a national Mother's Day as a way of honoring her beloved mother, who died on May 9, 1905. In Anna's view, her mother deserved a memorial because she had lived selflessly and endured considerable suffering-seven of her eleven children had died in early childhood. According to historians, Anna's mother mourned the deaths of her children throughout her life.
Anna insisted that the holiday always fall on a Sunday so that it would retain its spiritual moorings. Because of her efforts, President Woodrow Wilson finally proclaimed the second Sunday in May as Mother's Day. Although Anna couldn't prevent the new holiday from quickly becoming a marketing phenomenon, she did try. Speaking out against "the mire of commercialization" that threatened to engulf Mother's Day, Anna attempted to preserve her creation as a true "holy day," a time for solemn reflection and prayer.
Mother's day, then, was borne of a daughter's grief and love more importantly, it was intended as a tribute to a bereaved mother-a brave woman who lost multiple children but who managed to live with an abiding kindness and generosity toward others. I like knowing this background, and my attitude towards Mother's Day has been colored by the knowledge.
The holiday now makes me think of the common sorrow that links all bereaved parents. I feel a bond with Anna's mother that stretches over time and space. In a broader sense, the woman for whom the holiday was founded reminds me of people I've met at TCF who have continued to live productive, meaningful lives in the face of unthinkable loss. Finally, Mother's Day in its origins symbolizes both the joy and the vulnerability inherent in parenthood. Anna's mother knew all too well that from the moment a child is born, hope and the possibility of tragedy go hand in hand. She understood the fragility of life." .....(The piece of this article was out of The Compassionate Friends, written by: Barbra Atwood, Tucson, Arizona)
You may have already known the history behind Mother's Day, but if you are just finding this out for the first time, just as I have, I pray that your day is made a little easier, as you celebrate being a beautiful mother, knowing that this day is intended just for you.
A mother.
Holly sent me this beautiful picture in the mail. Thank you so much Holly!
