Dear Moms...
A Mother's Day reflection on the importance of strong roots and steady love.
Steven Winchell
5/10/20262 min read
As I sit here scrolling through all the Mother’s Day posts on social media, I can’t help but think about how transcendent the role of a mother is to so many of us. Our stories are all so different, yet the impact somehow echoes the same.
This is the second Mother’s Day without my mom here. She passed in 2024, and while a lot has happened since then, I know she would be proud of the way I’ve handled things. She was always the person standing behind you however she could, encouraging you in the best way she knew how. No matter what storms she was carrying herself, she still showed up for the people she loved.
To me, that’s one of the most important roles of a mother: to love unconditionally, to be that safe, soft landing when life is shitty. And to be the same safe place when life is beautiful. No matter what was going on, I knew she was only a phone call away if I needed to talk.
I know we don’t all have the same experiences. Some paths are covered in flowers, others in thorns. I hope that if you’ve been walking through thorn bushes, you’ve found people willing to pull you through them, and that you’re still keeping an eye out for beauty along the way.
Life is strange like that. We experience hardship, joy, confusion, anger. Sometimes we need people to carry us for a while, and sometimes we need to be the ones doing the carrying. That reciprocity is beautiful. It’s reassuring. It paints this sometimes harsh world in strokes of hope.
And mothers, I think, are often at the center of that. They are nature’s original secure base. A refuge when life kicks you in the face, and a launching pad for something greater. For those whose mothers are no longer here, or whose relationships are complicated, I see you. I hope you still find moments of solace today.
And for all of you mothers out there, keep being that steady person for your kiddo, no matter how old they get. That’s what gives them the courage to spread their wings: strong roots, steady ground, and the knowledge that someone will always be there when they need to come home.