The lockdown blog: Mother's day edition

 The day of mothering is upon us and thus this great stupendous morn' I set forth to collate all my memories, thoughts and words on my own dear mother into a blog post: a virtual hug if ever there was one and a tall order, for she is taller and more virtuous than could ever be put into words. 

Today, like many of us, I am not able to be with her; restricted by an invisible force, I make do by calling, Whatsapp-ing, blogging and (because it's not all about the tinternet) card-ing. I spoke to her last night on the phone and, because of the selfless being that she is, she was preparing items that could be 'sent up to me'. Surely this is the wrong way around? In this list there were seedlings, pots, clothes and vegetables ("I'll put some manure in too"). 

She is a nurturer of every plant and human that is lucky enough to come within her radius with an after-glow felt far beyond the 5km. The mind-blowing fact of course is that my mother is not where it all begins, or ends: a mother came before her and before her and before her and ad infinitum. The sap of motherhood runs deep, it is ancient and sacred and full of nutrients like 'thoughtfulness', 'ingenuity', 'patience', 'insight', 'kindness' and 'sensitivity'. While I spoke to mum on the phone she was preparing a lunch to have with her mother, a vaccinated scamp whose storytelling is legendary and fierceness of spirit second to none (my sister tells me that she is a "total Leo"). 

Fortunes of the stars aside I would like to urge my mother to, today at least, take a healthy dose of 'SB' tablets. These were recommended to her, in large doses, by a friend. This friend, you see, fondly recognized her tendency to always put others first. These wonderful medications are known in the French as 'Selfish Bitch tablets' and I would like to hereby give my permission to all mothers to take these in abundance today: a day when they can cease to be mother's and just be themselves: real Queen bees. 

The irony, of course, is that none of our wonderful mother's will take these tablets. That is why they're our mother's and that is why they're so bloody good at it. Like the manure she will send me to plant seeds in, she is enriching, life-giving and warm. I am going to stop before I say 'organic' and fully exhaust this analogy. 

Needless (seedless?) to say, I'm lucky to have you mum and soppy post aside, I know that you will continue to inspire me with your skilful weaving, dyeing, painting, making and doing. You're one cool creator and I think you're an artist. 

xoxo mothering sunday