Celebrating the Heartache

As I’ve scrolled through the social world today about Mother’s Day, I can’t help but have some deep feelings come to the surface.

I’ve always had a thing for moms. When I was little I would watch other mothers in awe and constantly ask if I could hold their babies so I could pretend to be a mom. There’s just something about motherhood and moms that I have a deep love and passion for.

What I did see today was a lot of heartache on this holiday. Whether it be because of a loss, infertility, or any other reason to not have the opportunity to be a mother, a lot of hearts ache on a day that mothers are celebrated. Articles have been swarming of how hard this holiday is on so many women and it’s hard to see.

As I kept scrolling, a dear friend of mine who has been struggling for about 10 years with infertility posted this definition of motherhood that her husband wrote to her on a post-it note for her to see the moment she woke up:

In addition to the post-it were definitions of mothers. My favorite was the very last one.

A Mother is: Someone who puts the needs of others above their own.

I loved seeing how she turned her biggest trial into a way to celebrate what she does have in being a mother and influence to the kids around her.

With my miscarriages I remember feeling like I could be sad on this day and mourn or I can celebrate those tiny babies. I completely think that there are times where you need to have those moments of grief. And if you’re that mom who is going through something heartbreaking right now, I hope that you would take that time for yourself. But I also hope that you realize how beautiful Mother’s Day is for ALL women no matter which part of the journey you are on.

We are all mothers. And that role is so uniquely yours as a woman whether you have kids or not.

So if today is a hard day for you for whatever reason, my heart goes out to you. But I hope you also realize the beauty in celebrating all circumstances of motherhood and that today can be a day to rejoice even the hard parts of being a mom.

Today is about YOU and a role that is given to you before you even have kids.

It’s about your fight to have kids if you struggle with infertility.

It’s about your magnifying love for the kids you might already have, despite your tired eyes.

It’s about those babies who might be watching over you in heaven as you try to continue to live this life without them.

It’s about celebrating even the heartache.

“Motherhood is more than bearing children, though it is certainly that. It is the essence of who we are as women. It defines our very identity, our divine stature and nature, and the unique traits our Father gave us.” – Sheri Dew

Happy Mother’s Day to all women, in every walk of life.

Xo,

Aubrey