A friend I’ve known since our babies were born–all grown-ups now with their own children–just wrote me and said she and her daughters and one of her granddaughters are going to Europe for Mother’s Day. What a special way to celebrate!
But for those of us with limited funds and time, let’s think about how to honor moms. Phone calls and emails are good for those living far apart, facetime and zoom even better. Those nearby might make a dinner party including mom’s favorite foods ending with a simple gift. Flowers are always appreciated. But the presence of mom’s children is the best gift of all.
For twenty-some years, an important annual meeting in Canada that I attended fell on Mother’s Day, thus, Mother’s Day for me was never celebrated. Since then, due to living thousands of miles apart, my sons phone, as does my daughter 400 miles away. I miss them. We are close in spite of distance. My children are my best friends. I love who they are, the individuals they’ve become. I love being their mother.
There is another Mother to think about: God. Along with God’s clear Fatherhood, is God’s Motherhood. As Julian of Norwich, a 14th century English anchoress writes in her Showings or Revelations of God’s Love: “As truly as God is our Father so truly is God our Mother.” Julian explains: “To the property of motherhood belong nature, love, wisdom and knowledge, and this is God.”
God as Mother means God is Love and Wisdom. We, as God’s offspring, being God’s image and likeness as Genesis states, possess the nature, the right and duty, to express love, truth, wisdom, justice, kindness, gentleness goodness and all the etcetera of God’s Motherhood. Whether we are mothers or not, male or female, makes no difference. Our God-given mother-nature is ours to live daily.
Mother and Child, framed pastel, 37″ x 40″ NFS by Gwendolyn Evans
Artwork: Mother and Child, framed pastel, 37″ x 40″ NFS.
I apologize for this image with its unprofessional reflection. The painting hangs in my bedroom, and because I never intended to sell it, I’ve never photographed it until today for this posting. I painted it 42 years ago. My daughter was the child model and the mother model was invented, though with a slight resemblance to the artist at the time. I desired to capture a Mary Cassatt feeling. Known for her mother and child pieces, Cassatt masterfully used pastels to express the love of mother and child.