Mother’s Day Thoughts

I was hoping that my new book, A Grandmother’s ABC Book, would be available by Mother’s Day, but it’s becoming clear as the day passes that’s not going to happen. (That’s a joke.) The release date of June 6th is fast upon us. You’ll be able to order it from your local bookstore or from the publisher, Shanti Arts.* Plenty of time for next Mother’s Day!

I myself have a little trouble going all in on Mother’s Day, because, as for a lot of people, that relationship was problematic. I had no problem buying a gift for my mom or taking her out for brunch with my sisters, but sometimes the greeting cards stumped me. They often had messages like, “You were always there for me,” or like this one from Facebook today: “Your mother is the sound of the rain that lulls you to sleep, the colors of a rainbow, she is Christmas morning.” Nope. I always kept looking until I found a generic Happy Mother’s Day! greeting.

It’s great that a lot of Mother’s Day messaging these days includes gay and transgender mothers, adoptive and foster mothers, and nurturers who were not necessarily mothers. We also need to acknowledge that not all mothers are the wind beneath our wings, nor are they necessarily supportive, attentive, smiling, patient, caring, selfless, helpful, inspiring, and understanding. (Some of us managed to be one or two of those things for about half an hour once a week, on average.) Certain mothers have their own struggles to contend with and fall far below the Hallmark standard. Some of you know the story from Missing: Coming to Terms with a Borderline Mother.

Share in the comments your own reflections on the day.

And if you have or had one of those Hallmark moms, or a close facsimile, I’m happy for you. Maybe she would enjoy A Grandmother’s ABC Book, particularly if she’s reached that milestone. Here’s how the publisher describes the book.

In September 2020 author Kathy Ewing and her husband learned that they would soon be first-time grandparents—of twins. Overwhelmed with delight and with time on her hands due to the COVID pandemic, Ewing decided to make a cloth ABC book for the twins and also write a companion book of family stories based on the alphabet. Entertaining and inspiring, A Grandmother’s ABC Book is about looking ahead—to the excitement of grandchildren, to the promise of a joy-filled future, and to the thrill of sharing one’s life and stories with the next generation.

*There’s always Amazon, too, but opt for an independent bookstore whenever you can.