On Sunday May 11, many of us gathered with family to celebrate and honor our mothers for the impact they have had on our lives. For those who are fortunate to still have their mothers, there were family gatherings where moms were showered with cards, gifts, flowers or their favorite candy, all given to demonstrate our appreciation and love. For those whose mothers have passed on, our appreciation for our mothers can sometimes be found in a Facebook post, a quiet prayer, or in my case, with a visit to her final resting place, where I can silently reflect on the beautiful memories I have of my mom.
My mom has been gone now for eighteen years, and not a day goes by that I am not reminded of an event in which my mother demonstrated her unconditional love for me or for my sisters. This year, I chose to visit my mom’s final resting place, and to have a silent moment reflecting on her love and importance in my life. While I realize that she is really not there, visiting a cemetery to honor my mother is far more than a ritual of remembrance, it is an intimate expression of my enduring love. These quiet moments offer a sacred place where grief and affection meet, where the ache of loss is tempered by the warmth of memory. In the stillness, we can feel close again to the woman who gave us life, guidance and unconditional love. Whispering a prayer, or simply sitting in silence near her resting place allows us to feel close to our mothers once more, even in their absence.
When I visited my mother’s final resting place, I remarked on the many others who, like me chose to spend their Mother’s Day visiting their mother’s grave site. I found a quote that I believe summarizes what I witnessed: “So much love is scattered here. When I look around this place I see immense loss, but I also see the abundance of love that still remains.” These words capture the heart of what brings so many of us to our mother’s final resting place. Though the physical presence is gone, the emotional bond remains unbroken.
In these moments, we are not just mourning a loss; we are continuing a relationship. We return to this place because our hearts are still full of the same love that once greeted a mother’s smile, her embrace, her wisdom. That love, undiminished by time, is what guides our steps back to her resting place. And in doing so, we carry her voice in our hearts, and in the stillness of that sacred place, we allow her memory to speak back to us.