Mother.
Mom.
The terms bring to mind a full range of images, emotions and sentiments. Depending on a man’s history, background, maturity and potential baggage, the experience of one’s mother can virtually run the gamut.
- Care, unconditional love, undying encouragement, eternal support.
- Disempowerment, doting, controlling, instiller of fear. And for some – abandonment.
The archetype of motherhood in its lowest form may be a judgmental witch who only wants to control and manipulate an offspring for her own self-glorifying need to be needed.
The symbol of motherhood in its highest form would be one of pure radiant love – the kind that no one action or behavior could remove. How many death row inmates could only summon their mother in times of final demise?
This latter image – a positive loving support – is one that stands the test of time, and for that, we acknowledge the path of a woman who brings life to this world.
This month, today, we take the time to acknowledge the presence – in the highest form – of mothers and their motherhood.
A traditional spiritual from the last century “Motherless Child” was updated by Irish singer Van Morrison in 1987 using these words:
Sometimes I feel like a motherless child
Sometimes I feel like a motherless child
Sometimes I feel like a motherless child
A long way from my home
Sometimes I wish I could fly
Like a bird up in the sky
Closer to my home
Motherless children have a hard time
Motherless children have-a such a hard time
Motherless children have such a really hard time
A long way from home
Such imagery elicits the loss of a mother, the removal of unconditional love from one’s life, something that would be gut-wrenching and damaging to a soul. Have you lost such in your life at any age, be that a physical mother who truly believed in your goodness? Have you lost such in your life, be that in some mother-figure, teacher or any female who cherished and believed in you as a male? Some say the reward of being an honorable man, protecting and uplifting the feminine, is to gain the undying love of the female who supports you in your masculinity.
Everyones path will vary. Consider yours. The connection or non-connection with “the mother” in whatever form she takes. Are you protective of her, appreciative of her, angry at her?
Did she leave you? Did you leave her?
No matter the pathway – one that took us closer or sent us further away – there is always an opportunity to close the gap … where that gap is the distance between ourselves and the unconditional love we have for ourselves and others.
At that time, maybe even a “motherless child” can reclaim a reunion. For as it appears in another song – this one from the early 1970s – Paul Simon considered such a motion.
Oh, little darling of mine
I just can’t believe it’s so
Though it seems strange to say
I never been laid so low
In such a mysterious way
And the course of a lifetime runs
Over and over again
But I would not give you false hope
On this strange and mournful day
When the mother and child reunion
Is only a motion away
Here is to Mother. Here is to Mom.