Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms -- wannabe moms, birth moms, stepmoms, bonus moms, adoptive moms, mentor moms and spiritual moms. And especially to friends for whom this holiday will be hard. Friends who will be standing by gravesites this Mother’s Day. Friends whose moms haven’t been a part of their lives in many years. And those who have challenging relationships with their moms who try to navigate Mother’s Day with grace but some necessary distance.

I have shared some words of wisdom shared with me 25 years ago from a Mother-like friend/mentor... but they are worth sharing... again. 

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD HAVE…

a set of screwdrivers, 

a cordless drill, 

and a black lace bra... 

one friend who always makes her laugh... 

and one who lets her cry... 

a good piece of furniture not previously owned by anyone else in her family... 

eight matching plates, wine glasses with stems, and a recipe for a meal that will make her guests feel honored... 

a feeling of control over her destiny... 

how to fall in love without losing herself... 

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW... 

How to quit a job, 

break up with a lover, 

and confront a friend without ruining the friendship... 

when to try harder... 

And when to walk away... 

that she can't change the length of her calves, the width of her hips, or the nature of her parents... 

that her childhood may not have been perfect...  but its over... 

what she would and wouldn't do for love or more... 

how to live alone... even if she doesn't like it... 

whom she can trust, whom she can't, and why she shouldn't take it personally... 

Where to go... 

be it to her best friend's kitchen table... 

or a charming inn in the woods... 

when her soul needs soothing.. 

And, finally, what she can and can't accomplish in a day... A month... And a year... 

Have a blessed day!

Melva