Hallmark Greetings, Inc. must love the "ka-ching" all the way to the bank with earnings from the special days it promotes. John Q. and Mary S. Public feed right into this mindset that makes us feel what???? Guilty - if we do not honor our loved ones by showering them with cards?
Please do not misunderstand me. I am all for letting my loved ones know just that.......that they are loved unconditionally and forever. I do, however, become uncomfortable on days such as today - Mother's Day - when so many places and institutions shower mothers with attention and accolades. Again, please do not misunderstand me. I believe that mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, grandparents, aunts, uncles, god parents, guardians.....all deserve accolades and attention.......but I believe that this "over-attentiveness", I'll call it, only serves to bring raw emotion to the surface of those who are not mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, grandparents, aunts, uncles, god parents, guardians and the like.
Every year I see the effect of this attention paid to mothers on the faces of those who, for some reason, are not, have not been, cannot be, or - the worst - used to be - mothers. Some women hide this sorrow well. It is masked by effusive smiling but if one looks closely into their eyes, one will see the pain. Other women cry openly, sometimes even hastily excusing themselves from whatever room they are in during the time the "mothers" are being recognized.
I suppose I sound like a Mother's Day Scrooge but I am not. I just remain convinced that on days such as this - Mother's Day - a little more sensitivity might be in order, trying to put ourselves in the shoes of women who do not carry the magnificent title of "Mother". I have known the delightful and amazing feeling to have a little (and big) hand reach for mine and hear the words, "I love you, Mom.", or, "I love you, Grandma." Let's instead celebrate all men and women - all humankind - as we form a great village where we care for one another and Hallmark's bottom line shrinks just a tad.
Ancora imparo
