Shared blog post and note for Mother's Day from Julia Aziz, Author of Lessons of Labor

 

The following note/post came from Julia Aziz, author of Lessons of Labor: One Woman's Self-Discovery through Birth, in response to Mother's Day.

Every May I think to myself, "I want to send something out for Mother's Day," but there's two reasons I usually don't: (1) In my own home life, this time of year tends to feel like a parenting marathon, without much room for extra writing. And (2) I am sensitive to the reality that many of my readers are grieving on this day, whether that be for their mothers or for children they've lost or didn't have. A simple "Happy Mother's Day" message never feels right. But I gave it more space and decided to send something this year because I think we could all use some deeper acknowledgement. If you're a mom having a hard time staying centered, perhaps without enough room for true self-care, please see my most recent blog post with free gifts for moms. There you'll find links to a recorded talk about on-the-go, in-the-moment "emotional hygiene" and a book guide with contemplative practices. These are offerings to you, dear mama, with an underlying wish for you to receive, receive, receive and let your needs matter. Let's celebrate not only the essential role you're playing in our society but your humanity too! If you may be grieving on Mother's Day, know that the longing and loneliness of these sorts of holidays is felt with you by so many others across the land and throughout generations. I'm not going to try to sugarcoat what you're going through though. My wish is for you to receive the space you need to honor your loss(es) and your feelings without comparisons or pressure of any kind.  If you feel ambivalence towards your mom or Mother's Day, this goes for you too--relationships aren't black and white, and you feeling all the grays in between is honest and real. (By the way, I know it's not a popular thing for a therapist to say, but I'll say it: if you need distraction and avoidance, that's completely OK too!) If you're doing alright but haven't had a moment to think about Mother's Day, I wish you self-acceptance and grace in this busy spring. If you can sneak out for ten minutes, here's a guided meditation that supports slowing down, getting back to earth, and opening to a wider perspective:

Mother's Day can be wonderful, and it can also be a mixed bag no matter how your life story has been playing out. But whether you feel disappointed and unseen or grateful, loved, and nourished, it's still just a day. No matter who you are or how this day goes, I hope you embrace yourself in all your complex facets. May you gift yourself complete permission to feel however you feel and do things your own way. In honor and celebration of our diverse human experiences, and all the Mothers, the Grandmothers, and the Spirit of Unwavering Nurturing Love,  Julia Aziz For more posts about Julia and her book, click HERE. Sign up for the MSI Press LLC monthly newsletter (recent releases, sales/discounts, awards, reviews, Amazon top 100 list, author advice, and more -- stay up to date) Follow MSI Press on Twitter, Face Book, and Instagram.  Interested in publishing with MSI Press LLC? Check out information on how to submit a proposal. Planning on self-publishing and don't know where to start? Our author au pair services will mentor you through the process. Interested in receiving a free copy of this or any MSI Press LLC book  in exchange for reviewing a current or forthcoming MSI Press LLC book? Contact editor@msipress.com. Want an author-signed copy of this book? Purchase the book at 25% discount (use coupon code FF25) and concurrently send a written request to orders@msipress.com. Want to communicate with one of our authors? You can! Find their contact information on our Authors' Pages.     MSI Press is ranked among the top publishers in California. Check out our rankings -- and more -- HERE.