Mother's Day is not a holiday for everyone

For weeks in advance, the marketing emails come in. These are the gifts you should give your mother, the fun activities to do with your mother, and this is how you give your mother that little extra attention on that beautiful day when she is the center of attention. It is almost forgotten that Mother's Day cannot be celebrated by everyone. There has been exactly one company that, in the week leading up to Mother's Day, offered the option to not receive Mother's Day emails. The chances are high that your Instagram feed is once again filled today with the sweetest tributes to mothers, with photos and fun outings that have been organized for the day when mothers are in the spotlight.

Sometimes we seem to be blind to the people who cannot celebrate Mother's Day. For friends whose mother has passed away, who have no contact with their mother, or who are struggling to get pregnant, this day can be incredibly confronting. They might prefer to crawl away for a day into a little hole where they can let this day pass them by.

It is so important not to forget these people. Sending a message is already enough. Just checking in, saying that you are thinking of them, that you can imagine that this day can be difficult for them. It seems like a small thing, but it can mean so much to someone who feels forgotten or misunderstood on a holiday like Mother's Day. A small effort for you, while it might mean just that little ray of light for someone else.