Mother's Day Blessing

I had not intended to make an entry today. After a morning meditation enjoyed to the backdrop of a choir of birds singing very joyously, and after watering my thirsty plants, I settled down to clear out my inbox...

But sometimes, when we least expect it, a gift arrives, from someone we have not met perhaps in the physical realm, but after all, we are all one, and wherever the Presence of God is - which is everywhere - there is no separation. The Dalai Lama has often said, he has never met a stranger.

The following poetic reflection was posted as a comment to my last entry, by a wonderful soul named Lisa. I wanted to make sure everyone had an opportunity to read this, and so I make this entry on this magnificent and beautiful spring morning, here in the Northern Virginia area. The author wrote it to her own mother, and I was moved to share it with my own, and with some dear friends as well. But lest we leave anyone out who might benefit or be touched by these words, I share them here as an "official" entry.

For all of you mothers - who have birthed - or not - for motherhood is expressed in many ways - this is for you. There are children who claim other women as their birth mothers, but whom I feel are just as much mine, in the depths of my heart, as they are to their own. For those of you remembering grandmothers, or aunts, or mentors, or friends today - who have touched your heart with the all embracing and "feminine" power of God - however you envision that to be - this is for you for as well.

Julian of Norwich, the 14th century English mystic and "First English Woman of Letters," once wrote - that "God is as much Mother as God is Father," and she is known for ascribing feminine attributes and particularly maternal ones to the Divine, so it need not be a foreign concept...

From "Lisa"...

At conception
a mother gives her life
to her child
not knowing what will become
offering her nurturing
praying with God
that all will be given
in the time it needs to be given
but never knowing what will become
what of love?
It is limitless

In childhood
a mother gives her time
to her child
not knowing what will become
offering her values
praying with God
that all will be taught
in the time it needs to be taught
but never knowing what will become
what of teaching?
It is limitless

In adolescence
a mother gives her lessons
to her child
not knowing what will become
offering her discipline
praying with God
that all will be disciplined
in the time it needs to be disciplined
but never knowing what will become
what of forgiveness?
It is limitless

In young adulthood
a mother gives her experience
to her child
not knowing what will become
offering her voice
praying with God
that all will be heard
in the time it needs to be heard
but never knowing what will become
what of surrender?
It is limitless

In adulthood
a mother gives her friendship
to her child
not knowing what will become
offering her ear
praying with God
that all will be understood
in the time it needs to be understood
but never knowing what will become
what of devotion?
It is limitless

For sever days God nurtured life...
In the Garden of Eden God taught...
For many years we were disciplined...
God voiced the Ten Commandments...
God gave Her son in a sign of friendship...
And God has given me all my mother gave me.
Love, Teaching, Forgiveness, Surrender and Devotion!

Thanks be to God for bestowing on me my beautiful mother.
May Mother God be blessed on this day!

And may all you readers be as well!