This past Sunday, May 8, was Mother’s Day here in Canada. It was my first as a mother and was a bittersweet one at that. My own mother passed away just a few weeks ago, and so it was not only my first Mother’s Day as a mother, but also my first without my mother.
I decided that the best way to enjoy the day was to do something that Mum would not have ever wanted to do. That way, we were starting a new Mother’s Day tradition for our family and I wouldn’t be feeling melancholy all day. With that in mind, we all went to the Toronto Zoo and had a wonderful day! The weather was perfect and many of the animals were out and active. We even got to see a peacock displaying his tail feathers! I don’t know how much the girls got out of it, but at the very least they saw some new sights and got lots of fresh air.
I took a few moments throughout the day to think about my mother and to visit her in silent prayer. I know she would have given anything to spend my first Mother’s Day with me and I felt her love throughout the day. I was also blessed by the love of many friends who thought of me and my recent loss that day, which helped to soften the blow and remind me that I’m not alone.
The day began with french toast and strawberries prepared by my wonderful husband, and concluded with us sharing a bottle of wine and relaxing on the couch. I think we have started a winning tradition indeed.