For the Childless... and the Motherless

This Mothers Day weekend is turning out to be one of the loveliest we have had all spring here in southeastern Pennsylvania. What a beautiful time to honor the wonderful mothers in our lives who have sacrificed so much. The world literally would not be the same without them.

The beauty of the weekend stands in sharp contrast to difficult loss for many people though. As someone who first struggled with infertility, and later after finally getting pregnant, lost the infant the daughter I loved to a devastating congenital heart defect, I'm sensitive to the many who, like me, may be struggling to get through this weekend.

Some may be motherless due to a devastating loss.

Some may be childless due to infertility, a tragic accident, or an illness.

Others may be estranged from their child or their mother, longing for reconciliation.

I think of the women in countries where there is not enough food to eat or clean water to drink. Women who have watched their children die in their arms, powerless to help them even as their own bodies waste away.

There are so many who are not feeling warm and happy this weekend. This blog post offers some wonderful insights into how we can relate to people in all different circumstances this weekend.

Even as I mourn the missing daughter in my life, I also want to extend blessings to all the mothers out there who are tirelessly caring for their little ones. It's important to take the time to recognize and support these special women.

Here is a Mothers Day prayer to remember families in all different situations which I found to be a wonderful meditation for today.

God our Creator, we pray:
for new mothers, coming to terms with new responsibility ;
for expectant mothers, wondering and waiting;
for those who are tired, stressed or depressed;
for those who struggle to balance the tasks of work and family;
for those who are unable to feed their children due to poverty;
for those whose children have physical, mental or emotional disabilities;
for those who have children they do not want;
for those who raise children on their own;
for those who have lost a child;
for those who care for the children of others;
for those whose children have left home;
and for those whose desire to be a mother has not been fulfilled.
Bless all mothers, that their love may be deep and tender,
and that they may lead their children to know and do what is good,
living not for themselves alone, but for God and for others.
Amen.

- Courtesy Godweb.org