Rev. Martha Mosley is co-minister of Unity Christ Church in St. Louis, Missouri.
Mothers are celebrated in May, and addressing this subject is always a mixed blessing. For those who view their mothers as good and caring, Mother's Day is a great experience. But for those whose experience with their mother was painful, the day can be difficult.
It seems that no matter what we experience at the hands and hearts of our mothers, we are deeply affected. We all need a nurturing figure who loves us no matter what. Regardless of our experiences, we often endow our mothers with the ability to make us happy or to devastate us.
When a woman becomes a mother, it may trigger a cascade of emotions related to her own mother. New parents often ponder how they were parented and the subsequent psychological effects that parenting had. They may ask themselves, “What do I want to repeat with my children? What values were instilled in me and which values do I want to pass on?”
Motherhood challenges many women to the core. Children can try one's patience, test one's ability to manage self, and challenge authority. But what better way to look at our own ego-centered patterns and triggers than through parenting? When we lose our patience, what belief is being tested? When we react with anger, what thought is driving us? When terror is struck in our hearts, to what are we reacting?
Parents have a tremendous opportunity for their own spiritual unfoldment. When our child is hurting, we develop compassion. When he or she is discovering the world, we are reintroduced to wonder. As we observe their little brains sorting out the myriad things we show them each day, for many of us it is much more than genetics and biology—it is inspiration in the making—perhaps even the renewal of faith.
No matter what your experience is with your mother, use this Mother's Day as an opportunity to look at your own spiritual life—to see this day as an opportunity to grow and transform.
And if you are a busy mom, read this article about how to find inner peace.
