How to Celebrate Your Mom’s Legacy on Mother’s Day

This year is my first Mother’s Day without my momma. In my fifty-five years of life, I have never known a Mother’s Day where I did not purchase or make a card for my momma, except when I was too young to do it.  I am blessed to have had her for as long I did compared to many of my friends, but the truth is my entire lifetime would never have been enough. There hasn’t been a day when I have not thought about her, missed her or had a tear running down my cheek.

My memories are also providing me with great peace and joy as I struggle through the firsts. Here is another first. It’s my first Mother’s Day as a new member of a club I never asked to join. While I am so thankful to be a mom myself, still my momma’s absence makes the day bittersweet. I am so thankful for my momma and all that she invested in my life.

Celebrate Your Mom

I have never doubted for one second how much my mother loved me. Mother’s Day was always a great opportunity to let her know how much I love and appreciate her. This year the woman who gave me life and brought me into the world is no longer here to celebrate. It doesn’t mean she won’t be celebrated. If your mom is no longer here to celebrate, here are some ways you can celebrate your mom’s legacy on Mother’s Day too!

7 Ways to Celebrate Your Mom’s Legacy

Donate to Her Favorite Charity: Momma always appreciated music and education. These were things which were important to her. She always had a song in her heart and could be heard singing all the time. She had a song for every occasion, even if she had to make up one!  Education was important to her because she never got the opportunity to finish her education. Her parents divorced when she was young, and they moved around so much she was unable to both complete her studies and take care of her siblings.  She ended up quitting school when she was sixteen.

Buy a Bouquet of Flowers for Someone Else: My mom loved flowers. She always told all of us if we couldn’t buy her flowers when she was alive, not to buy them when she was dead. Momma told me last year if I felt the need to buy a bouquet for Mother’s Day to give them to someone who needed to know they were special. She went on to say “Don’t waste your money putting them on my grave because flowers were meant to be enjoyed by the living, not the dead.”

This year I found a cause I was very excited to donate to because the organization takes flowers which would normally be thrown out and recycles them to make beautiful bouquets for people. You can read more about them here: https://randomactsofflowers.org/our-mission/

Share the Love

Write a Thank You Card: Chances are there is another woman who has impacted your life in some way, shape or form. Sometimes the words we want to speak to tell someone how much they mean to us are left unsaid. This year, take the opportunity to write a Thank You card to another woman or women who have influenced your life in a special way. Maybe they aren’t even a mom, and that is okay too! There have been many women over the years who have loved me in special ways, helping me to get through difficult times, or providing a hug while listening to my aching heart. Never underestimate the power of a hug or your positive and encouraging words Share on XNever underestimate the power of a hug or your positive and encouraging words.

Plant a Tree in Her Memory: A tree is a great way to leave a legacy for generations to come. Not only will a tree provide shade, oxygen, and beauty, but a tree also provides a home to birds and shelter for furry friends. As you watch the tree grow, you can share the history of why you planted the tree and be reminded of a life and love that continues to live and grow in your heart. What a way to celebrate the legacy of your mother’s life on Mother’s Day!

Some Secrets You Have to Keep!

Bake Her Recipe and Share It: Nothing brings me more joy than baking my momma’s zucchini bread. Momma had a unique recipe, and everyone loved it. Everyone always complimented about how moist her zucchini bread tasted, and people always begged for her recipe. She would never divulge her secret ingredient, and I won’t either.

Do Something You Know She Loved: My momma loved to go out to dinner. She loved Red Lobster and although I won’t go on Mother’s Day because of the crowds. I will go when it is quieter, and I can enjoy it more. I will gladly eat some lobster on her behalf! She also loved arts and crafts. I think this year I will paint a stone for my garden with her favorite bible verse and make it sparkly. Did I mention she loved sparkle too?

Focus on What You Have: One of the last talks I had with momma I told her how much I was going to miss her. Momma told me not to focus on what I didn’t have, but to focus on what I do have. It is easy to think about what I’m missing when in reality God has been very gracious to me. Momma’s in heaven, but her words of wisdom are still as powerful today.

Celebrate Her Life Not Mourn Her Death

Momma always said not to mourn her death, but to celebrate her life. She wanted a rip-roaring party! At the time of her death, I wasn’t in the mood because my grief was too strong. This summer I plan on getting together with a few of my friends and celebrating the legacy she left behind. Trust me when I say my momma was a 5 foot nothing stick of dynamite! She knew how to have fun and laugh!

For all those who have your momma with you, have a wonderful Mother’s Day and celebrate her to the fullest! For those of you who have lost your momma, I am truly sorry. Mother’s Day will be hard, but I’m going to keep celebrating my momma because I know she would want me to reach out to others.

Momma is in heaven, but I will continue to celebrate her by loving others well and continuing her legacy of never knowing a stranger, but just a friend I haven’t met yet. My heart longs to hug her and hear her voice. I look forward to the day we will be reunited in heaven and tears of sadness will be replaced with tears of happiness.

Happy Mother’s Day Momma!