Mother's Day Dare

On this Mother's Day, I dare you to:

Cry when it seems safer to hold back
Run when you have time to walk
Share in the beauty of others
Without envy or fear ...

Contact the healing power of nature
Find time for tolerance and understanding
Notice what really hurts inside
Give it a name and set it free

Step out of your comfort zone
Read something that is a challenge
Or say something that makes you quake
Especially if it is loving

Forgive yourself for things you cannot do
Forgive others for what they do to you
Respect the spaces separating us all
For these may become our future gardens ...

Stand in awe of the majestic planet
Feel so small that your insignificance
Becomes a reward, a relief
A moment's respite from feeling "In charge"

Trust your instincts and sharpen them daily
What is easy isn't always wrong
But what causes suffering often holds a gift as well
Try to know the difference

On this Mother's Day, I dare you to

Find a photo of yourself as a child
Put it next to a photo of your children and
Witness just how much you've changed
... Mothers grow up too

Honor what you've been through
- The many things you've overcome
Make a pact to celebrate your story
For its uniqueness and simplicity

You are a wonder in this world!
A very special blossom
Too beautiful for a vase on Sunday
You have bloomed where you were planted ...

Warm wishes to all daring women on this Mother's Day :)

- May 2008 Christine Kraft / Coco Kraft and the Village Elders