Mothers -- you are powerful. Stand tall. You are full of grace. Stand tall. Join together and stand tall. Be as a Redwood tree. Stand tall. If you have stood next to a Redwood tree or seen photos of one, you will notice that they do not grow alone. They grow in groves with all of the trees connected together, even if they appear to be separate. Their shallow roots form a web that holds these big trees up in the wind. Redwoods do not fall very often. We can emulate those trees, mothers. We can hold each other up.
We may feel alone at times, but believe me and remember: You are being supported underneath the surface of where you live. Right beside you there is somebody thinking about you and supporting you whether you know it or not. Think of all the mothering that goes on in life. I have found in my life that it comes sometimes when you do not expect it and from someone you do not realize has your back. Someone in your root system seems to know that you need something. Women have a natural mothering instinct if they just listen to it. I have met some sensitive men who have taken on the mothering of their children, so I know mothering crosses the gender boundaries too.
Some of the best mothers I know have never borne a child. The woman who cuts my hair, Lisa, has her own little brood of chicks that she teaches. She shows them the universal laws of good as she herds them around Sally Hershberger's Salon. Lisa gives so kindly to everyone that sits in her chair and I'm sure outside of her chair as well. I watch her with those chicks and marvel at her mothering skills. My assistant Joy, an angel from above, has not yet had a child but she gives and takes care of everyone around her. We could all learn a lesson or two from her about mothering.
The question is... are you doing your part? Are you listening? It does not take much to support mothering. It is very simple really. It may be a smile. It may be holding a door open while a busy mother struggles with her stroller. It may be watching a friend's child while she goes for a walk or to the grocery store. It may be sitting by a dying friend. Simple things mean so much. Many times I have taken a crying baby on a plane and relaxed into its beauty so as to calm the child and the mother. It's a breath of acknowledgement like this that can change everything. To be a mothering soul is a very special and valuable life path.
We all need to know that we are not alone. In 1624, the English poet John Donne wrote these lines:
No man is an island,
Entire of itself.
Each is a piece of the continent,
A part of the main.
Of course this was written at a time when women were definitely less important than men, but I think you can still get my point here. We are all connected. We are all part of the main.
You are not alone. You are surrounded by a grove of mothers. Tap into your root system and breathe in the support that is around you. Stand tall.