Mother's Day Got You Down? Celebrate Auntie's Day!
If you're not a mom, whether by choice or circumstance, you can still celebrate being a caretaker.
Even if you're like me and oblivious to Hallmark holidays, you should know that today is Mother's Day. I mean, duh. Look around at all the people carrying flowers and taking their moms out for meals. For me, Mother's Day means a phone call to my mom, and my sister sending her flowers with a card onto which she always adds my name because of the aforementioned oblivion in which I live.
As an auntie to two little monkeys (a.k.a. small, agile children) and biological clock that only ticks when I've replaced the batteries, Mother's Day isn't an emotional issue for me. However, as "Savvy Auntie" Melanie Notkin wrote in The Huffington Post, Mother's Day, for those who always assumed they'd be a mom by a certain age but are not, is a painful reminder of what their life is lacking. While I can only imagine how this might feel for some, Notkin does point out a beautiful fact: "Babies are born from the womb. Maternity is born from the soul. There are many ways to mother." Bottom line: You don't have to be a mother by blood to love and to be loved by a child.
So aunties and childless women everywhere, before you slip into your woe-is-me mentality this Mother's Day, be grateful for the little ones in your life and the joy they give, even if they're not your biological children. You can also rejoice in the fact that in 2009, Notkin created Auntie's Day to celebrate all of us who don't have children of our own. It may not be as well-known as Mother's Day, but give it some time. In the meantime, tell your friends about this lovely holiday, because you know you want an excuse to eat cake and party. Mothers get pancakes in bed; aunties get chocolate donuts with sprinkles and whipped cream with a side of bacon and, most crucially, unlimited mimosas. Jealous now, mommies?
How are you celebrating (or not celebrating) Mother's Day? Do you think you'd celebrate Auntie's Day?
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