Saturday, May 7, 2011

the irony of Mother's Day

So the 'incident' that spawned this blog occurred on my facebook page, where I 'dared' to suggest a boycott of Mother's Day and suggested celebrating my friends who can't / don't have children. It was suggested I was 'militant' and didn't want to 'celebrate' motherhood. Rather insensitive suggestions from a high school friend who was married a month after S and I and popped a sprog pretty soon after.

I ended up deleting the post and logging off facebook for a time after she continued to contact me via facebook chat (even after a request to leave me alone). It appears that she was deeply offended at my lack of 'celebration' of motherhood, yet she just couldn't see how exclusive and ostracising a day like Mother's Day can be. It seems that it's ok to have a 'day' where we celebrate mothers, but we're not allowed to celebrate the non-mums. Irony much?

Am I hyper-sensitive? Yeah probably. Am I sorry for that? Not really.

I'm sure if my own Mum felt a desperate need to be honoured tomorrow, I would do it, because I love and appreciate her. In fact, she has just messaged me to say thanks for a care package I organised recently for her birthday, filled with treats for the next few weeks while she finishes her PhD. She knows I'm thinking of her and don't require Hallmark to remind me I need to do that.

Anyway, something I did write on my facebook post is how I felt two years ago at a Church service (not my own Church) where ALL the women were given a prezzie to celebrate Mother's Day. It was the best feeling ever, as I felt celebrated for the woman that I am, without a 'child-requirement' as part of that.

What saddens me is that I took a risk yesterday in posting my 'boycott' suggestion, and the quick and harsh response from someone who is blessed to have a child has led me to making anonymous posts about how I'm feeling. I wouldn't dare make insensitive / jealous comments on their photos of new babies so how come she can do it back to me when I express what's happening in my life?

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