For many, Mother’s Day is a sore remembrance of the loss of their mother.
Losing your mother is the single hardest thing any person can experience in their childhood or adult life. This is regardless of the nature of the relationship between a child and his mother.
The fact that the human you were born and birthed by is no longer in this world can change the trajectory of your life.
Grieving for your mother can therefore be a complicated journey that takes many years to navigate and get used to. Mother’s Day can be a triggering day for some, but even moms who are not here can still be celebrated.
When dealing with loss and grief, the symbolism of certain activities can contribute significantly to the process.
Here’s what you can get up to celebrate your late mother this Mother’s Day:
Write her a letter
Nothing can be quite as cathartic as writing a letter through pen and page. This exercise could allow an experience of truly feeling like you are communicating with her. If she were here today, what would you tell her? What would you talk about? It might be hard to have an actual conversation with your mother in her absence, so a letter can help you do that. Tell her how much she means to you and how much you miss her. The experience could leave you much lighter.
Take her flowers
Not everyone believes in going to the graveyard to visit their late family members. That physical closeness, however, can be just what every child needs on Mother’s Day, even adults. Let it be a little visit to her final home. Drop off her favourite colour flowers on her grave. It will feel like you did something super special for her.
Cook her favourite/secret recipe
Not every mom left a secret recipe in the family cookbook, but we know which meals they loved more. In commemoration of her beautiful life, cook this meal and enjoy making it like she would enjoy eating it. If she had a recipe, then this might be a lot more fun for you. Invite people she was close to, or the other mothers in your life and make a true celebration out of it.
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Plant flowers in memory of her
This might be a fun activity the whole family can be a part of. The kids will love the idea of being part of a symbolic act they know will make you happy. If you have a backyard, plant a couple of seeds at one spot of the garden and watch them grow over time. You can also get a flower pot and plant some flowers in memory of her. This will be a beautiful reminder of how things grow even after death. Just remember to water them.
Get involved in her favourite hobby
If mom was obsessed with cleaning the house, then happy cleaning! Talk about killing two birds with one stone; a clean house and a connection with your mom. The experience might spark some good memories that will brighten up your day. Share some of these stories with your family as you get into your mother’s mode.