Mindfulness on Mother’s Day

Mindfulness is an important practice in my daily life. It helps keep me present and steady through the ups and downs of day-to-day.

On holidays like Mother’s Day my mindfulness practice becomes invaluable.

When you’ve lost a loved one and there’s a day dedicated to the celebration of that person, emotions can run high.

Not to mention, the expectations that culture, family, and even you put on yourself to have the perfect day, perfect brunch, perfect…

This is my fifth Mother’s Day without my mom’s physical presence. I miss and remember her everyday in a quiet way.

On Mother’s Day I miss and remember her in a much bigger way.

My mindfulness practice helps me move slowly through days like this. To not put pressure on myself nor on anyone around me.

Last night I looked through some old pictures to share today. It was so nice to be able to look through hundreds of photos in just minutes. I felt gratitude to be able to remember so many moments with my Mom.

I also felt disappointment and sadness that I didn’t have more pictures.

Mindfulness doesn’t mean that those hard, judgmental feelings never come up.

We’re human.

In those moments, I can put my hand on my heart. I can acknowledge the disappointment and feel the resistant body sensation of tightening. I can take a deep breath. I can send myself some loving-kindness. I can feel my feet on the ground. I can return to the photos.

Letting the feelings move through is mindfulness. Connecting with, yet not over-identifying with, those difficult feelings allows us to move back into those positive emotions of gratitude and remembrance.

In the morning I can start slowly with meditation so I can move through any feelings of gratitude, grief, longing, loss, sadness, or joy that can often be the first things that pop into my head.

Throughout the day I will repeat this process.

I will be with my kids. I will remember my Mom. I will celebrate other moms, other caregivers, other people who deserve to be celebrated on this day and everyday. All of those experiences deserve my presence. Mindfulness helps me be in and with the emotions, both positive and difficult, both laughter and tears, that will inevitably come up on days like today.

As long as I can recognize that all of these feelings deserve acknowledgment I can return to the joy that is always in the now. I can breathe in the loving energy from my kids, I can breathe in the loving energy of my own awareness, of my own memories.

I can experience Mother’s Day with mindfulness by moving from moment to moment with compassion and presence.

This Mother’s Day no matter what your experience of today may be I wish you the same compassion and presence.

That is the beauty of mindfulness. These practices are accessible to all of us.

I am grateful for you. Thank you for spending this moment with me.