The popular saying is "tough times don't last. Tough people do." And in my mind, the real mothers of this world are the toughest people on the planet.
That being said, they are still human, emotional and prone to suffering. This is all a part of the journey of dealing with mothers full time.
Mother's Day is often the easiest part for the children and mothers alike. You spend the day with them, shower them with gifts, feed them, and make sure they don't have a care for that entire day.
Ironically, the day after Mother's Day is a Monday, arguably one of the toughest days of the week. It gets real again. Often the mothers realize what hasn't been done, what was floated or put off, and the fact that school is winding down and summer is beginning.
This can be a lot of stress in itself. But then you throw in the perils of life and you have some real challenges ahead.
Don't fret, there are coping mechanisms. One, do more listening than you ever have. Coming off the Mother's Day high is not always smooth. Oftentimes they may not mean what they say the way it comes out. Therefore, listen, be there, and don't feel like you have to be Mighty Mouse and save the day.
Also, proper planning will help. Before all of the Mother's Day or other festivities, make it your priority to diffuse any current and possible stress coming along the horizon. Are her bills good? Does her grass need cutting? How is her car running? Does she have a clean bill of health? These are some of the issues to be addressed, especially once your mother is older and many of the roles have switched.
So just remember that being the child is not easy either. But you are definitely not alone. Practice lots of patience, stay within your character, take care of what you can and don't concern yourself with what you can't control. Most of all, don't stop showing unconditional love. Your mom didn't during your rough patches and phases and you can't either.
Also, tomorrow is a new day, a fresh start. Call your mother in a couple days, let her do the talking but be ready to help where necessary.
How do you and your mother get along? When the bad times come, what do you do to deal with it all?
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