To the mothers around my age, raising children; I see you. Even if it feels like no one else does, I do. I see you raising your beautiful babies in a different almost deeper way than our parents did. I see you scrutinizing and thinking through every single decision you make. I see you holding yourselves almost to an impossible standard, all in the name of raising humans who might have to quite realistically save this beautiful planet. I see that burden on the mother's faces of today. It shows in the lines in your face, the grey in your hair, the sadness with a glimmer of hope in all the eyes of the mothers today. We are a different breed of mothers today, having to be more vicious and yet more gentle than we have ever known. The weight makes our hands tremble as we cradle our babes and know the battle they will face, but our resolve is unparalleled.
I see you, concern on your face when you pick up a jar of baby food seeing all the preservatives, and then placing it back on the shelf. I see as you sacrifice time and convenience to give your babe the most nutritional packed foods you can. I honor you Mother and I see you.
I see you, trading the convenience of disposable diapers and wipes, to again, sacrifice more time and effort to use cloth as to help fight the landfills piling up more. I see you caring about the Earth your babes will inherit. I see you Mother and I honor you.
I see you, as you have to march your babe through all the sugar, bright packaging, fun shapes, just to get them to the fruits, vegetables, and grains that won't poison them. I see your lip quiver when your babe resists and screams as you are only trying to nourish their little bodies as this world tries to shove poison down their throat, and make you feel like a failure for not allowing it. I see you Mother and I honor you.
I see you, as you look over your little babe, and let tears slip, thinking about the horror of sending them to public schools these days. How dangerous they have become. You weigh the thought of just homeschooling them, but that means sacrificing a needed source of income... I see you Mother and I honor you.
I see you, as you try to keep your little girl away from Disney movies and merchandise. You know that the "Princess Paradigm" is a dangerous mindset for a little girl to get into, thinking she needs a man to protect her and make her feel whole, but you sit in your room at night defeated because you are the bad guy for not letting her watch Frozen. I see you Mother and I honor you.
I see you, as you try more and more to be present, in a world that demands to always be going going going. You have so much to do, dinner to make, appointments to make, laundry that needs folded; but you slow down to let her little girl show you a flower she thought was beautiful, and for a moment a childlike joy is also captured in you. There is no clock, there is no schedule, there is only you two exploring the world in wonder and delight. I see you Mother and I honor you.
I see you, as your little boy falls and scrapes his knee. Instead of telling him to man up, instead of showing him emotions are weak; instead of telling him big boys don't cry, you drop to your knees and hold him. You tell him it's okay to be sad, it's okay to cry, it's okay to be hurt. In that moment you let him know his emotions and pain are valid, and he will carry that through life forever. I see you Mother and I honor you.
I see you, as you spend more time outside in nature with your babies instead of screentime. I see how you limit tablet, tv, and video game time, and teach your babies to spend time in the garden instead. I see you as you teach them to respect, love, and honor Gaia. I see you Mother and I honor you.
I see you Mother, as you spend every day undoing toxic traits and pain passed down from your family. I watch everyday as you wonder if you did enough, if you loved enough, if you taught enough, if you set them on the right path enough. I see as we hold ourselves to a standard higher than ever before today, and as we try to do it with grace and poise. I watch as we raise gentle kings who will change the world with their kindness and emotional balance. I watch as we raise fierce and humble little goddesses who will heal everything their hands and words touch. I watch in amazement everyday as we collectively raise each other up, and share this weight evenly together, knowing what must be done is the highest work we will ever do. I see you, I honor you, and I love you for it.
From one Mother of a conscious, gentle, emotional boy; We are doing amazing. Let one of your sisters take some of your weight for today. You have done beautifully. Thank you.
