By I have lots of old thoughts that circulate regularly so when a new thought flits by I notice it and see if it’s one I want to keep.
Today’s thought, early on this Sunday morning Mother’s Day, was about privilege, a hot topic and one I’ve been entertaining in new ways. This new thought took me by surprise, as new thoughts often do, being new.
It was a privilege to be my mother’s daughter.
Many of you might think these kinds of thoughts quite often; I confess that I haven’t had a lot of thoughts like this, but the thought seemed beautiful to me. I decided it could stay, that I would like to think this way more. It is a thought that serves me well. After it came another I liked equally well, maybe even better: It’s a privilege to be a mother of my three daughters (three sons too, but today, as a daughter, I’m going to just focus on daughters).
My three daughters are born in three different decades and they are very different people, even though they share the same two parents, the same DNA. I’ve been a different mother in my 20s for the first one, in my 40s for the second one, and now, with my third, the last one left at home, I’m in my early 60s while she is 14 (and we’re having a blast)…
Anyway, no matter what you’re thoughts have been in the past about your mother or about being a mother, you can try new thoughts– go ahead, see if there aren’t some that might surprise and delight you. Go with those. See if they serve you better than some of the tired, negative ones that may have been recycling themselves around in your mind. If you’re not too attached to those old tired thoughts, or even if you are and can see they aren’t serving you well, aren’t bringing you good feelings about being a mother or a daughter, toss them out by noticing them, and not jumping on the train when they float by. Journaling, or a letter to yourself or your mother–dead or alive, sent or not–is a great way to work out what your thoughts are and which ones might be worth keeping or recycling.
Nothing like some fresh new thoughts to brighten a day.
Happy writing, and Happy Mother’s Day, whether you’re a mother or not.