mother’s day - in all it’s layers

welcome back to sunday goods!

mother’s day can be soft & sweet.
it can also be sharp & sensitive.

for some, it’s brunch with the woman who’s been a best friend, a safe space, a steady voice saying, “you’ve got this.”
for others, it’s a painful reminder of absence, whether it’s a mother who’s passed, a strained relationship, or the kind of nurturing you never got to experience at all.

as someone who isn’t a mom myself, I can’t pretend to fully understand the weight of motherhood, especially the mental load, identity shifts, & emotional tug-of-war that comes with it.

but I do know that moms are often expected to be everything for everyone & rarely get the space to be human first.

so today, we’re holding space for it all.
the messy, the magical, the missing.

if you had a mother who showed up with love,
let that love be a reminder of what safety can feel like.

& if you’re able, tell her. show her. thank her.
or, if she’s no longer here, carry her legacy in how you treat yourself & others.

if you grew up without a mother figure,
your grief is valid.
your longing is real.
& your healing doesn’t make the past any less painful, but it does offer you a future with softer edges.
re-parenting yourself is a radical act of love.

& you’re doing that every time you set a boundary, take a breath, or choose peace over perfection.

if you’re a new mom or somewhere in the thick of it,
you’re allowed to struggle.
postpartum anxiety, rage, & depression are real & nothing to be ashamed of.

you deserve support, sleep, & softness.
ask for help.

receive it when it comes.
you are not failing.

you are adjusting.

that is brave.

& to everyone else,
let this day be what you need it to be.
a celebration, a cry, a phone call, a walk outside, a journal entry, a nap.
mother’s day is layered, & your emotions don’t need to be sorted before they’re seen.

before we wrap, I want to take a moment to honor the women who’ve shaped me.
to my mom, your strength, compassion, & steady love have formed the foundation of who I am.

I carry your wisdom in my mind and your grace in my heart.

thank you for always being my constant, even when it meant carrying more than you let on.

i’m endlessly grateful to call you mine.

& to the mother figures around me, you know who you are, thank you for showing me what it looks like to lead with love, to nurture with presence, & to show up in the ways that matter.

you’ve each left your mark on me, & I’ll carry that kindness forward.

however this day lands for you, know that you are seen.

you are loved.

& your story matters here.

with care,

Elle