The night before Mother's Day I told my husband, “I wish we could eradicate all Hallmark Holidays.” Never going to happen, and maybe a little dramatic, I know.
But, in my very unpopular opinion, I feel they (more often than not) cause more harm than good.
When I worked at The Cheesecake Factory for 6 years from ages 18-24, the two most dreaded days of the year were Valentine's Day and Mother's Day.
From early on in our relationship, I told my husband I never wanted to celebrate Valentine's Day, and after 15 years together, we never have.
Now that I am a mother, though, I have learned how damaging Mother's Day can be for similar reasons. Just like Valentine's day places a spotlight on one's relationship status, Mother's Day does the same for motherhood.
We all know people who struggle with this holiday for various reasons, the examples are countless. I'm thinking of two of my closest friends, one who has chosen the motherless path after being raised by an emotionally abusive one, and another who struggled with infertility for so long that now that she has a child she doesn't know how to celebrate a day she had spent so many years despising. I'm thinking of all the mothers I know who either struggle to be around their own mothers, mothers-in-law, or other people they are guilted into visiting because of the day's name. I'm thinking of all the people guilted into buying more stuff they either can't afford or don't need, all those berated for not meeting an imaginary standard, when in the end we should all just understand that the juggling act of life is enough, right?!
Here's my thought:
What if we didn't put so much pressure on it?
