Happy Mother’s Day! Honoring a mother’s love can be expressed through admiration, thankfulness, and love. Clear-cut gestures like showing affection, offering help, and spending time can affect a mother’s well-being. Specific ways to honor a mother’s love have so many layers, but the one that will forever change you as a caregiver is the care you give to the one who cared for you. My mother is no longer with us, but I still feel her warmth, love, and affection. While my memories are now pictures and memorable sayings, they remind me to always care. I hug you and all who can still feel a mother’s love.
Because You Loved Me by Céline Dion is a song that reflects what a mother gives and encourages us to give back,” because a mother’s love is unwavering and never-ending. Something as small as I love you can go a long way. Allowing your mother to smell the roses now is another way to show your love. Far too often, we wait until death to shower our loved ones with flowers, but as you know, they cannot smell them, so let’s do it while they are still with us.
If you are providing care to your mother, thank you! Know that you are doing what God expects of you. Your role as a caregiver is to provide care that includes understanding her needs and finding ways to support her welfare through tasks, emotional support, or showing appreciation. It also includes knowing her wishes, ensuring all family members are aware, and having open and honest dialogue along the caregiver journey. Let’s not forget that self-care is not selfish! Take care of your physical and emotional well-being. It is essential for your health and ability to continue caring for your mother.
Fun Fact: Mother’s Day was officially established on May 9, 1914, when President Woodrow Wilson signed a proclamation declaring it an official holiday. Anna Jarvis, who honored her mother during the Civil War era, was the genesis of Mother’s Day in 1908.
As Your Proactive Caregiver Advocate, I want to remind you that a mother’s love is a beloved gift that deserves acknowledgment. Whether through words or actions, gestures or gratitude, love unconditionally and create memories this side of heaven that will last a lifetime. Happy Mother’s Day!
Dr. Cynthia J. Hickman is a retired registered nurse and case manager who serves as the CEO of Your Proactive Caregiver Advocate. She’s excited to share her latest book, The Essential Caregiver Training Course for Corporations and Community. Her previous works, From the Lens of Daughter, Nurse, and Caregiver: A Journey of Duty and Honor and The Black Book of Important Information for Caregivers, reflect her experiences and insights gained during her heartfelt caregiving journey.