Mother’s Day; a day to honour one of the most precious people in your life and as a Mum, it’s a day to celebrate the role you play in the life of your children. If you’ve lost your Mum or you’re a Mum that’s lost a child, Mother’s Day is also a bittersweet, emotional time of year. From feeling an abundance of love to being filled with grief and sorrow at the missed opportunity you would normally get to experience on this precious day; the emotions will flow.
Every year the day comes around, and they say time heals all wounds, I haven’t found this to be the case talking with bereaved mothers or children. Time just dulls the memories, so they are less raw and available.
Most of your life you’ve had somewhere to be on Mother’s Day, but this year without your Mum, the day may feel empty or unplanned, plus there’s now an empty chair at your table. Time and space to reconnect with her memory could be necessary for the first few years, or longer. What did you love to do with your Mum? Have you thought of starting a ritual each year that would keep her memory alive? It could be visiting a memorial with the flowers that made her smile or lunching in her favourite place. These are just a couple of things that come to mind, but the most important thing is to support each other through the day. Be understanding, be respectful of family members that need space, and remember grief comes in many forms and we all grieve in our way.