Welcome to the first writing prompt link-up of May 2024! I don’t know about where you are, but here in West Michigan the birds are chirping again, the trees and flowers are blooming, the temperatures are increasing . . . it’s glorious!
If you’re new to the FMF link-up, a special welcome to you! We’re thrilled that you’re here! Each week we gather around a single word prompt, set a timer for five minutes, and freewrite with whatever comes to mind.
Learn more about the link-up and how it works here.
This week’s FMF writing prompt is: SOME
Setting my timer for five minutes, and . . . GO.Â
Here we go again . . .Â
That was my first thought when I saw the Mother’s Day marketing emails start to hit my inbox.
A few days later, my sister texted me, “Why do I still get annoyed at Mother’s Day ads?”
Even more than twelve years after losing our mom, we still feel the sting of Mother’s Day.
I feel a little bit guilty, because I’m not trying to ruin it for my kids who are trying to be nice to me. I would just really rather prefer to let the day pass by without acknowledgement.
And yet, the emails still keep coming, including the subject of one from today: “Treat your mom to something special”
Yeah, and what if we don’t have a mom to treat? What then?
Every year I’m so aware that some women are delighted by the opportunity to be spoiled by their children and significant others, enjoying breakfast in bed or perhaps brunch at a nice restaurant. Some may receive chocolates or flowers, or at least a break from doing the dishes.
But for others, Mother’s Day evokes all kinds of aches. Some have lost mothers. Some have lost children. Some continue to battle with infertility and would give almost anything to be a mother.
Mother’s Day is happy for some, but not for all. Let’s be gentle with those around us who might not be as eager to celebrate as others.
STOP.
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If you or someone you know feel the sting of Mother’s Day
for a reason mentioned above or some other circumstance,
perhaps these resources will help:
Letters to Grief
and
101 Prayers for Comfort in Difficult Times
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Join the link-up below with your own five-minute freewrite on the prompt, SOME, then visit your link-up neighbor to leave an encouraging comment:Â
Yeah, I never had a mom
or a dad, for what it’s worth.
I don’t know from whence I come,
or even if I had a birth,
or was built from body parts,
a mercenary Frankenstein,
stacks of livers, shelves of hearts,
and some by fortune became mine.
Are there memories within,
of those these organs animated?
Are my tears, my glance, my grin
not of me but dedicated
to the men who went before
that I could carry on their war?
Three minutes, and this deserves explanation (no, REALLY?).
I know little about my early life save that it was something best forgotten, and Barb’s explanation for my persona and even existence is that I was assembled from the body parts of dead Marines.
Granted the metaphorical construct, but it is still an awesome responsibility.
Yeah, I have had a love-hate relationship with Mom’s Day. There was so much guilt involved in the day growing up … like, if we didn’t spoil mom just right or said something wrong we ruined the day. So I let my children decide how they wanted to celebrate, mostly by making it a gramma’s day and creating a big batch of cards together to send to the Grandmothers. Now Mom’s Day is a surprise, sometimes little sometimes big. Both Grandmothers are still around and I think my relationship with Mom’s Day is a little healthier, celebrating my spiritual moms, my surrogate moms and my adopted moms. Happy Moms Day!
I hear this a lot from so many women, Its something I dread facing. It is important for (me) and others to remember that each holiday that may bring joy to some also brings pain and grief to others. Thank you for sharing your voice.