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 here, and the flower order has already been delivered. 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 about little things, ignoring my own needs, and, quite often, self-deprecating, 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 realized 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 the 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 parenting handbook.
As the day progressed and I kept peeking at the small white rectangle propped 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 occur only once 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.
