We come into the world as girl babies socialized in gender-focused mores that sometimes liberate and other times limit. But always we begin life tied to the legacy of our mothers. More than maternal instincts, the common thread for all women – whether we give birth or not – is that early bonding between mother and daughter.
We all are someone’s child. Maybe she’s called Mommy, Auntie, Nanna or Big Momma, but we carry her light and love in our hearts, whether she’s here or has joined the ancestors. She’s the first measure of ourselves; life-giver, nurturer, protector, teacher who helped us find our footing. She scrimped and sacrificed, scolded and solidified.
We are an imprint of her molding, even if we resisted her early lessons. So often my adolescent self dismissed my mother’s admonishments. Although her instincts were shaped by another era, many of her words resonate with me today, decades later. Whether the caution was never wear holey undies (in case you have an accident and are rushed to the hospital). Or – on the money side – always hide your money like a sock in the drawer. Even if it’s love, the Lord won’t mind because God Bless the child who has her own.
We invited Sister Friends from different experiences to join our video spotlight responding to two questions: (1) What is your mother’s lasting lesson (2) And how did she shape who you are today?
Take a look and listen to a marvelous chorus of wit and wisdom, unwrapping Mother’s Day gifts that will last all year!
— Gwen McKinney
Unerased Creator and Campaign Director
