I do love February! It’s the month that keeps our hearts throbbing with warm thoughts of others, embracing the goodness in ourselves and sharing the generosity that’s an innate part of us. It’s the after-party to the season of Christmas and girl, I am grateful for it! After all the hype of gift lists and the glitter of these Oh So Bright decorations, January feels like a real drab hangover. So Welcome February, come on in, paint the town red again with sugary words and sweet rhymes and bring that Oh So Big heart of L.O.V.E. again.
We’re going to do a lot, AGAIN…overthink, over plan, overspend and overwork ourselves just showing our love AGAIN as moms, wives, daughters, and daughters-in-law, sisters and sister-friends. It’ll be scouring the Hallmark shelves or the Dollar store shelves looking for that one poignant card that says it just perfectly. It’ll be Craftathons with the little ones so everyone will know they were thought of and loved. It’ll be You Tubing the how-to videos for the sweetums to box and give away. For me, it’ll be doing Valentine and making my son’s birthday stand out as special, the day after Valentine’s! For him, I did and do find “the greatest love of all inside of me” as I’m sure you find for your children.
But as I listen a little longer to the lyrics of Whitney’s soul-stirring song, I hear..
“Learning to love yourself…It IS the greatest love of all”
I try not to let it be drowned out by the little, incessant voice in my head which tells me that if I loved myself, I’d be selfish and self-centered. The teenage voice that speaks loudly telling me that selflessness is an essential part of womanhood. There’s a roar of generations shouting out that motherhood requires the sacrifice of time, energy, dreams, self and soul.
But slowly, Whitney’s eerily beautiful voice fills my head again…words which direct me to let the children lead us, showing “the beauty inside”, having “a sense of pride” and…
“Let the children’s laughter remind us how we used to be”. Carefree springs to mind. Playful like the breeze rustling through the leaves. Light, as sunshine glinting on the water. Secure as a warm blanket on a cool night. In the moment…present, as a little one tasting ice cream running down her arm. BIIIG Sighhhh. Beautiful…. as the quiet stillness before dawn.
Moms, let’s give ourselves some love this Valentine month…
by giving to ourselves FIRST…then by letting others give to us.
Take a look in the mirror and compliment only the beautiful. Congratulate you on how great you were to just have a nap in the middle of the day! Put in for a day off without stressing about who was going to take up the slack…at home or at the office. Tell your girlfriend it’s ok to chat because your family knows that this is your “mommy hour”.
Cheers to you, to me, to us!
Sallye Forth is a mom working outside of the home, a co-parent, psychotherapist, life coach, and supportive friend. Her mantra is “Your thoughts create your world” and positive thoughts bring positive results!
