No matter how old you are you are never prepared to lose your mother. Mothers play such a unique role in our lives and they are irreplaceable. When your mother dies, the grief can be overwhelming.
There is so much lost when you no longer have your mom. Who will ever remember your favorite cookie, cake or entrée? Not only remember it, but get pleasure in making it for you?
When you have great news, who will you call who will revel in your success? Who will take pride in everything you do and who will never tire of seeing photos of your child, dog or most recent vacation?
I miss the familiarity I shared with my mom because there is no one else who will ever know me so well. Years ago, I took my mother along while shopping for hair color. I stood in front of the array of boxes, desperately trying to remember what my color once looked like. My mom picked up a box and said, “This is your hair color.” She knew me better than I knew myself because the color was just right.
So what do you do when you don’t have a mom and Mother’s Day is approaching? That depends on where you are in the bereavement process.
Robbie Miller Kaplan is an author who writes from a unique perspective as a mother who has lost two children. She has written How to Say It When You Don't Know What to Say, a guide to help readers communicate effectively when those they care about experience loss, now available in three individual volumes: "Illness & Death," "Suicide" and "Miscarriage." Additional titles are available as e-books: "Death of a Child," "Death of a Stillborn or Newborn Baby," "Pet Loss," "Caregiver Responsibilities," "Divorce" and "Job Loss." All titles are in Amazon's Kindle Store. Click here to order.
Image provided by the author
There is so much lost when you no longer have your mom. Who will ever remember your favorite cookie, cake or entrée? Not only remember it, but get pleasure in making it for you?
When you have great news, who will you call who will revel in your success? Who will take pride in everything you do and who will never tire of seeing photos of your child, dog or most recent vacation?
I miss the familiarity I shared with my mom because there is no one else who will ever know me so well. Years ago, I took my mother along while shopping for hair color. I stood in front of the array of boxes, desperately trying to remember what my color once looked like. My mom picked up a box and said, “This is your hair color.” She knew me better than I knew myself because the color was just right.
So what do you do when you don’t have a mom and Mother’s Day is approaching? That depends on where you are in the bereavement process.
- Still grieving your loss? You might find comfort joining other family members or loved ones also grieving. Or, you might want to find a way to distract yourself and just get through the day by watching a movie, fixing yourself a nice meal or taking a walk. Keep in mind that every first occasion without a loved one is going to be hard.
- A mom yourself? It might help to focus the day on you and enjoy your family and the fruits of your labor.
- Another option is to help others. For the last few years I have been contributing to a nonprofit that provides weekend meals to the elderly who are homebound. I like to think that I may be helping someone else’s mom. Or, contribute to a food bank in your mom's memory.
Robbie Miller Kaplan is an author who writes from a unique perspective as a mother who has lost two children. She has written How to Say It When You Don't Know What to Say, a guide to help readers communicate effectively when those they care about experience loss, now available in three individual volumes: "Illness & Death," "Suicide" and "Miscarriage." Additional titles are available as e-books: "Death of a Child," "Death of a Stillborn or Newborn Baby," "Pet Loss," "Caregiver Responsibilities," "Divorce" and "Job Loss." All titles are in Amazon's Kindle Store. Click here to order.
Image provided by the author
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