The Eve of Mother's Day... Such a variety of mothers exist out there... Today I am only thinking of one type of mother. The broken mother.
I know the immense joy when seeing baby for the first time. And the joy that flows through as baby rides safely in their car seat on the way to their home for the very first time. All mother's share in that sacred bond, the joy of creating life.
And today, I know a mother who takes watch over her child and makes every effort to ensure that tonight is not the night that her child takes their own life. She thinks 'If baby makes it through the night then I have the gift of tomorrow with my child."
We never seem to remember the names of the victims do we- the children in the elementary school in Connecticut, the theater shootings in Denver, the small boy taken off the bus and held hostage underground for days... what were their names again? I am thinking of their mother's tonight.
The elementary shooter had a mother. The Denver theater shooter has a mother. The man in the underground bunker has a mother. I imagine the horror their mother's felt, that joy that had once coursed through their being now shattered. I am thinking of them tonight.
I am honored, and privileged to be a mother myself. I wouldn't say I'm lucky that my child is not suicidal, that my child hasn't killed another human being, or taken a child away from their home. That's not anything that typically crosses my mind. But, tonight it does. The pain and anguish that Mother's Day must bring to the broken mother: broken hearted, broken spirited, broken soul...
Tomorrow, while celebrations are had, meals are enjoyed, gifts are opened, remember the broken mothers. Remember that we are all connected in that bond. The broken mother tomorrow will suffer from pain in the death of their child, betrayal of their child, grief for days lost and questions unanswered, and so many other things I can't even fathom.
Give the mothers of the lost, and the mothers of those who took those lives a second of your time, and remember them, for it might be the only time that they can experience a moment of joy on a day that brings such sadness. And think of the mothers trying to keep their child alive for just one more day, for that gift of tomorrow.
I believe if we put goodness out, we will have goodness in return. I know that at times we just don't have it in us to put anything positive out there. So it is my hope that for those mothers, that have nothing left to give, that they can receive some of the warmth and love that is generated by my request. Thank you all for your unselfishness, for the gift you're giving to others in need, and for opening your hearts and minds. You truly are amazing.
These are the names of the victim's in the events I mentioned. I will not taint their deaths with the names of their killers:
Charlotte Bacon, 6
Daniel Barden, 7
Rachel D’Avino, 29
Olivia Engel, 6
Josephine Gay, 7
Ana Marquez-Greene, 6
Dylan Hockley, 6
Dawn Hochsprung, 47
Madeleine Hsu, 6
Catherine Hubbard, 6
Chase Kowalski, 7
Jesse Lewis, 6
James Mattioli, 6
Grace McDonnell, 7
Anne Marie Murphy, 52
Emilie Parker, 6
Jack Pinto, 6
Noah Pozner, 6
Caroline Previdi, 6
Jessica Rekos, 6
Avielle Richman, 6
Lauren Rousseau, 30
Mary Sherlach, 56
Victoria Soto, 27
Benjamin Wheeler, 6
Allison Wyatt, 6
Jonathan Blunk, age 26
Alexander J. Boik, age 18
Jesse Childress, age 29
Gordon Cowden, age 51
Jessica Ghawi, age 24
John Larimer, age 27
Matt McQuinn, age 27
Micayla Medek, age 23
Veronica Moser-Sullivan, age 6
Alex Sullivan, age 27
Alexander C. Teves, age 24
Rebecca Wingo, age 31
Ethan- age 5 survivor
