Mother’s Day can be a wonderful celebration of our mothers, whether they are alive or have passed; and it can also be a day of honoring our authentic experience, and offering reverence for the aspects of the sacred feminine in all the forms it takes, including Mother Earth.

As outdated as many of our holidays are, they shine a light on our collective consciousness and offer significant opportunity for growth, even through the challenges they bring.  Challenges, because of society’s imprints on our beliefs and expectations, and because of the triggers that family dynamics typically provoke.

Personally, the memory of my mother brings sadness more than joy.  For reasons I can only forgive, she wasn’t able to provide a mother’s love for me in the ways it really mattered.  So even as a mature woman, Mother’s Day can create stirrings around that loss, and remind me of the journey it’s taken to find peace and acceptance.

And what about the difficulty of being a mother?  There are countless women who feel enormous guilt and regret on a daily basis about themselves as a parent; or for not having the chance to be one.  Along with the flowers, cards, and gifts their loved ones bestow (or in the absence of them), wouldn’t it be wonderful if they took a quiet moment in private to honor their path, ask for help from Spirit, and offer themselves forgiveness?

Today, my acknowledgment of Mother’s Day began with honoring my Self (something women my age are trained not to do).  I allowed my feelings to surface and reflected on them.  I remembered I could not know my mother’s experience, and sent heartfelt gratitude to her.  Having no children myself, I acknowledged the generous and selfless nurturing I’ve provided others; in my service and relationships.  And I worked in my garden:  weeding, watering, and clipping the dead leaves and flowers so the plants could flourish.  As I did, I felt the most exquisitely tender caring, and gratitude, for Mother Earth.  And Her immediate and loving response was so palpable, it warmed my heart and tingled in my soul.

The return to the value of the feminine is critical for life on this planet, and today we can create experiences that demonstrate our awareness of the power of creation and the necessity to nurture life, not destroy it.  We can celebrate and give thanks for our mothers, and we can include ourselves, and all who nurture and provide the love and care that allows the human spirit to thrive – whether man or woman.  Today we can open our hearts and give thanks for the lives we’ve been given, and the limitless love we can give.

Happy Mother’s Day!