M is for . . .

..the many things she gave me...
Happy Mother's Day to one and all.

This is one of those interesting perspective opportunities. I am watching how I am doing on this Mother's Day knowing that my mom is in a nursing home in Los Angeles. I am keenly aware of how different that makes this holiday.

Normally, on this Hallmark occasion, I, of course, call and send a little something to my Mom. Also, I usually send a card to a woman who had such a significant influence on me during a difficult few years when my mother and I were estranged; I acknowledge the mothering aspects in those of us who are not biological mothers (and that incudes men); and I have been known to receive cards from my furry kidz. This year, I sent an arrangement of roses and a box of chocolate truffles to Mom and I will call her as I do everyday now. This year, I am in the throes of working through any residue stuff that has stored up over the years between us, that I want healed and released before Mom makes her transition; in addition, to also being responsible for clearing out her apartment of all the stuff that has been stored up and collected over the years. I do not know the Divine plan here of whether she will be on this planet another week or another year or... I do know that it is incumbent upon me to do the inner work now for both our sake's and not after the fact.

So, I am walking through that unique time when the child becomes the parent; I am now mothering to my mother. Odd. Again, grateful for the work I do and the training I have had that allows me to be conscious and compassionate; and for most of the time, whole and at peace. Ministering to many is different than ministering to one's mother.

Last night on "20/20" there was a two-hour episode on religion and faith. One of the several segments was on an Indian woman known as Amma (which means Mother). This sweet, round woman has an enormous following, not for her book sales or speaking engagements but for her healing work of simply hugging people. That is all she does and has been doing since she was seven. Thousands flock to see her and there is a neverending line of devotees waiting just to receive a brief hug and blessing from her. The journalist who reported on this also stood in line and said that a hug from her was like a hug from a thousand grandmothers. She whispered to him, "My son, God loves you, God loves you". And although Amma does not live a modest life by most standards, she is also very generous with the money she receives from donations and sales of her trinkets.

Speaking of poverty --and adding chastity-- there was a segment on the throngs of young women who are once again hearing the call of God and devoting their life to Jesus in a monastic sense. Several contemporary women were making the choice to live in poverty, chastity, isolation, silence and devotion to "marry Jesus (God)" and live away from the modern world. One nun interviewed said she could not wait to die and go to Heaven to see and kiss her lover Jesus. She was giddy with the thought. Not to be disrespectful, I wondered if that makes Jesus a Mormon because wouldn't he be loving and kissing a lot of the other nuns,too? The few women who chose to take their vows go through quite a process for their wedding. They are required to shave off all their hair and put the long locks on the altar before which they prostrate themselves in devotion. (Geesh. For my engagement, all I am doing is growing my hair to donate to Locks of Life, an organization that makes wigs for children with cancer. ) Instead of asking the young nuns if they didn't long to break out and sing "Oklahoma" or something, why didn't Diane Sawyer ask them if they read "The Da Vinci Code" and how they might feel about the fact that um, well, Jesus was already involved shall we say?

This Mother's Day--hug someone. Hug a lot of someones.