These little hashtags pepper our lives. These are mine and how they represent me. At least that is how I wanted this book to be. It was to be a book of short articles using a hashtag as inspiration. However, it has grown and changed as I have.
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Me & Mom Oct 2015 in DC #SelfieKisses
On this Mother's Day, I will not take away from the sacrifices that traditional mothers make. Whether planned or not, these women chose to birth a child or adopt a child and therefore make several concessions until the day they die. I respect that choice. It takes a phenomenal person regardless of their gender identity to chose a life with children. The financial, emotional, and lifestyle burdens are incredible. It is identified by a societal norm but is nevertheless amazing. However, it does not change the fact that this day is a commercialized holiday built by greeting card, candy, and flower companies to get you to buy things so as to minimize your guilt for not telling your parent that you appreciate them every day.
Some Mother's Days of the past, I have bowed to the consumerism just to make my mom happy. Some Mother's Days, I just give her a call, text, or even a post on FaceBook. Honestly, days like these irritate me. Why do we need a day to remind us to be thankful for the people in our lives? Take a moment right now. Pick a random day next month, to call your family and catch up. Do something special for them because no one can guaranty there will be a next time.
Then, there are always some good hearted people who look at people like me, who choose not to have children, and they attempt to call me a "Furbaby's Mom" in order to be able to justify my presence today. I smile and thank them for thinking of me because it is not their fault that society has limited their idea of what a person's role is in America. Irritation aside, I appreciate that they are trying to say something kind back and honestly that is not a bad thing. However, my animals are not pseudo-humans. They are animals. I am a care-taker human. I do not identify them as my children. There are some people that do; I do not. I do not need to mother anything in order to fulfill my identity as a woman. I will not think less of you if you do.
So to all the Mothers out there. I hope every day you find something that brings you joy. To all the other people out there, don't allow a consumer holiday to make you feel less of a person. You are not an obligation. You are not a nobody. You are not less of a person because you choose not to have children or if you physically can't. You are not less of a woman if you don't birth a human. Continue to be a strong human role model for the people around you. Spread Love and Joy out into this world because... why not? #Mom #FamiliesOfTwo #MothersDay
