Warm greetings on Mother's Day!
I’ve thought, written, and taught a great deal about mothering, but I have not ever given my attention to how the mothering gestures live in friendship. So today (Mother's Day in the States), I am going to do just that: I am giving all my attention to the presence of mothering in friendship.
First, this is not about gender. It is about soul. Boys and men offer mothering gestures to each other and to the girls and women in their lives!
In the course, Inner Mother Inner Father, I describe a fourfold picture of the maternal gestures: holding, handling, offering new possibilities, and de-dramatizing threats and needs. How do they appear in our friendships?
In my blessed friendships, mutual mothering seems ever-present and active.
There is the willingness to hold and embrace each other’s lives and feelings.
There is support on how to handle situations offered as suggestions and encouragement.
New perspectives are shared and described with the invitation to broaden thoughts, feelings, and possibilities for action.
Finally, when either friend is overwhelmed, burdened, confused, or despairing, the friendship provides the loving container that restores selfhood and centers the soul.
Who are your mothering friends? Think about them today. Forward this email to them. Celebrate the blessings of the friendship.
With loving imaginations,
Lynn
PS — During the Twelve Holy Nights this year I offered “messages” on the Dance of Differences and the Acts of Kindness. I resend one message each month to all the Inner Christmas subscribers. For May the message from the fourth Holy Night was resent: Holy Compassion for Dancing with Differences and The Kindness of Containing. Both Compassion and Containing seemed so full of maternal forces that I decided to post the message on my blog for
everyone. Click here to read the Holy Nights’ inspirations on compassion and containing.
