How Is a Mother Like a Rose?
A paradox. A stoic core opening from the middle and emanating in strength, gives way to yielding, concentric circles. These lacy petals, in a lovely pink ombre, provide a contradiction – capturing us with their beauty while surprising us with their depth. She is the rose. As this paradox, she is the perfect metaphor for a mother.
My friend, Nicole Caldwell, Nature Photographer, inspired me. As I thought of a mother and what she represents, I could not get the image of Nicole’s photograph of a pink, ombre, rose out of my mind. The delicate manner in which she captures the spiraling flower made me think of the legacy impact a mother leaves on a family. As the generations evolve, the influence of a mother radiates from the center as surely as those hues of pink flow through the petals in varying shades. This influence is suggested in Mitch Albom’s sentiment which says, "Behind all your stories is always your mother's story, because hers is where yours begins."
I was reminded of this as I watched Elizabeth with her brand-new baby daughter, Ezzlyn, who was born three weeks prematurely and had to be separated from her parents and taken to Duke just after birth. There was so much love in Elizabeth’s eyes, and it appeared that she was just “born to be” a mother. I knew that love for her child to be both instinctive and a legacy love. Elizabeth learned about unconditional and unlimited maternal love from her own mother, Tina, and the legacy was passed down to her from Jeanette, her own mother. Jessica Lange describes this special relationship in this way, "The natural state of motherhood is unselfishness. When you become a mother, you are no longer the center of your own universe. You relinquish that position to your children."
Mother’s Day is approaching. As I think of a mother, much like that beautiful pink, ombre rose, I am reminded of the often wonderful maternal legacies when I think of the following verse:
My Mother Kept A Garden
My Mother kept a garden,
A garden of the heart.
She planted all the good things
That gave my life its start.
She turned me to the sunshine
And encouraged me to dream.
Fostering and nurturing
The seeds of self-esteem.
And when the winds and rain came,
She protected me enough.
But not too much because she knew
I’d need to stand up strong and tough.
Her constant good example
Always taught me right from wrong.
Markers for my pathway
That will last a lifetime long.
I am my Mother’s garden.
I am her legacy.
And I hope today she feels the love
Reflected back from me.
~ Author Unknown
Sadly, however, all maternal legacies, as we all know, are not as filled with joy. For some of us, our relationships with our mothers were cut short, as they were taken from us too soon. For others, the maternal influence provided may not have been the most nurturing example directing the paths of life. As Mother’s Day approaches, let us create the legacy of our gardens. If you have a wonderful mother, let her feel the love from you. If you don’t, recognize that legacy – and your worth – and be thankful that you have the opportunity to plant your own seeds in your garden so that you will cultivate something more for your family’s future. Finally, if you have those babies now, like Elizabeth – celebrating her first Mother’s Day, cherish the opportunity to turn them to the sunshine, encourage them to dream, protect them so they can become strong enough to stand on their own, and create their own legacy one day.
Blessings ~
Lisa