Mothers get this one day a year i.e. Mother’s day, on which we praise them, appreciate them for their hard and thankless work, get them flowers and chocolates and massages, and this probably is the only day we invest some energy introspecting the amount they have accomplished for us. There is, truly, one crucial ‘thing’ that your mother has given you that you ought to express gratitude toward, and it is something that nobody else can give you in this world – unconditional love ensuring your life matters.
It is that felt sense of being adored, regardless of your life choices. The significant life lesson that this teaches you is that you are important, you matter, and you are indeed deserving of being alive.
Why is this so significant for each one of us? Consider what every tiny being who is new to this world needs to grow and to grow steadily: a feeling of security and connection. When you are a child, you are inconceivably adorable and the top of your head smells divine, but there are those times when you cry a lot, you are smelly, and you throw tantrums, and that in itself makes it a challenge for the parents to be available for you in the manner you want. This is where unconditional love is born, at that point when you are foul and loud and seemingly inconsolable, your mother understands and approaches you, and by doing so imparts the feeling that she adores you and will always nurture you- soothe you, clean you, and love you. When you are at your worst, this mother gives you a sense of security, and gently communicates that you matter, and will take all the necessary measures to keep you thriving.
Much has been said and portrayed about parenthood in the media and entertainment business, and the unreasonable assumptions it has forced upon the parents, especially the mothers. We all know that nobody is perfect and that we all lose temper, get anxious, and every now and then hurt the feelings of our loved ones, and mothers are no exceptions. Thus, they ought to be permitted to commit these equivalent errors! What is significant is that when there’s mother-child love involved, it has a certain capacity to repair itself. When love in general, not just the unconditional kind, has the capacity, the willingness and desire to re-connect, fix, and restore the relationship, mother’s genuine feeling certainly trespasses all the other levels, and that makes mothers so much better at repairing broken pieces than anyone else in the world. Remember, you can always return to her, come what may.
So, as we celebrate and honour Mother’s Day, we could focus on putting forth a more conscious and deliberate attempt to see the value of our mothers. Let’s take a moment to snuggle up to that warm and fluffy feeling of being adored by another individual. The best of mothers might not have figured out how to make you realize that constantly, however, try to connect to the times when she did. Grab that feeling and stay with it. Try if you can discover it in your heart to thank her, and to excuse her for the occasions when she didn’t.
Monica (Managing Editor) is the quintessential researcher - she thrives on showcasing overlooked aspects that form the foundation blocks of people, places and issues. She is a social scientist by profession with masters in Economics and loves to travel.