Kristin G. Mother's Day Reflection Post

May was a whirlwind month for me, full of special events, including my birthday, Mother’s Day, and preparing for my graduation from University. Through it all, my mom was my everything, just like she has been since the day I was born.

I think what makes my mom, and so many others, so truly exceptional is her willingness to support me and love me at all costs. This kind of support is so often behind the scenes, characterized by the not-so-glamorous day-in-day-out sacrifice. There just simply aren’t words to thank our moms in the way that they deserve. But that’s not going to stop me from trying, and not just on Mother’s Day—I want my whole life to be one that reflects the gratitude I have towards her, and towards all of those who have built me up along the way.

Something else I greatly admire about my mom is that from the very beginning, she believed that my education began in the home and taught me to think for myself—not what to think, but how to think. She believed that travel was an important part of my education and this has been a huge gift in my life and one that led me to my studies in Anthropology. My mom was an example to me of what it means to strive for excellence while being gracious with yourself and others. She demonstrated to me the values of commitment, compassion, generosity, gentleness, forgiveness, humility, justice, and hard work. When I received the call in May that I had been selected as Valedictorian for MRU’s graduating class of 2015, I immediately turned to my mom and said (mostly incomprehensibly through my tears, but she got the idea), “This one’s for you. This is your award just as much as it is mine.” And that’s just the reality of it—what my mom has instilled in me for every single one of the 8780 days that I’ve been alive is what got me to this point. Her goal was never my accomplishments, but that her love would shape me into an individual that knows her worth regardless of what I would choose to pursue.

As a tiny token of my appreciation for my mom this month, I bought her the feather pendant necklace from Alora. There were a few reasons why I did so. Firstly, the feather represents “free spirit,” and is accompanied by the quote, “What if I fall? Oh my darling, what if you fly?” My mom is someone who embraces her children’s dreams right along with them—and is also someone who will be a constant presence for us when we inevitably make mistakes and some not-so-great choices along the way. My mom’s love is a source of both freedom and security; it is both gracious and wise.

A second reason why I chose a necklace from Alora is because Alora really, truly values moms. $10 of every purchase from their limited edition Mother’s Day collection went directly to the YWCA to support family violence prevention and poverty reduction. Not everyone has been fortunate enough to grow up in a family where they feel safe and loved, like I have. By supporting Alora, I hoped to further their cause of giving other women and children the opportunity to experience what I have been blessed with growing up.

Thirdly, Alora brought my mom and me together for the special experience of showcasing their Winter 2014-2015 collection. We spent two days together, along with other mother-daughter pairs, taking photos, enjoying one another’s company, eating great food, and of course, laughing at frequent intervals. Alora was started by a mother-daughter team, which was the inspiration for the shoot and also many of their products.

Take a moment today to sincerely reflect on what you appreciate about your mom—and ask yourself why you appreciate that about her. Then, make sure you tell her—consider every day to be Mother’s Day. After all, I’ll bet that she makes every day her “kids’ day.” Finally, consider what you can do to support other moms in your community. Check out volunteer opportunities at one of these great organizations:

YWCA: http://www.ywcaofcalgary.com/how-to-help/volunteering-with-the-ywca-of-calgary/ Calgary Pregnancy Care Centre: http://www.pregcare.com/volunteer-calgary/ Calgary Immigrant Women’s Association (CIWA): http://www.ciwa-online.com/get-involved/volunteer

Love you mom!

Kristin

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