Mother’s Day can bring both love and loss. This post honors not only our mothers, but the many “others” who have nurtured, supported, and cheered us on.

For some, it is a joyful day filled with family, flowers, brunch, and cards. For others, it carries a quiet ache. A missing mother. A complicated relationship. A longing for what once was. I understand that feeling. My mom is gone, and yes, Mother’s Day can make me sad.

But over the years, I have also come to realize something beautiful. Our lives are often shaped not only by mothers, but by many “others” too.

The women who stepped in.
The women who listened.
The women who nurtured us, encouraged us, prayed for us, checked on us, taught us, and cheered us on.

A grandmother.
An aunt.
A neighbor.
A teacher.
A dear friend.
A church mentor.
A mother-in-law.
A sister.
A daughter.
A woman who simply showed up at the right time with kindness and wisdom.

These women matter deeply.

This Mother’s Day, I want to celebrate mothers and others. The amazing women who have supported us in big ways and small ones. The ones who helped make us who we are.

One of the loveliest ways to honor them does not need to be elaborate. It can be simple, meaningful, and personal.

Invite someone in for tea.

There is something special about tea. It invites us to slow down. To sit a little longer. To talk more deeply. To remember. To laugh. To share stories. Tea creates space for connection, and that feels especially fitting on a day meant to honor the women who have poured so much into others.

You do not need a perfect table or a fancy menu. Use what you have. Pull out a favorite tablecloth, a few pretty cups, a teapot, or even mismatched mugs. Add a plate of cookies, little sandwiches, or a slice of cake. Light a candle. Put on soft music in the background. Keep it easy and welcoming.

And if you want to make the gathering even more memorable, add a little creativity.  Take the event outside, or have a picnic.

You can also include a simple craft or hands-on activity. Nothing complicated. Think handmade bookmarks, tiny flower arrangements, decorated journals, handmade cards, or a small gratitude project where each person writes down a memory or a note of appreciation for a woman who has influenced her life. These little creative touches often become the most meaningful part of the day.

The beauty is not in perfection.
It is in the honoring.

It is in saying:
I see you.
You mattered to me.
Thank you for the love you gave.
Thank you for the way you showed up.

For those missing their mothers this year, this kind of gathering can also be healing. It gives us a way to hold both grief and gratitude at the same time. We can miss someone dearly and still celebrate the love she gave us. We can be sad and thankful. We can remember and still make new memories.

For those missing their mothers this year, this kind of gathering can also be healing. It gives us a way to hold both grief and gratitude at the same time. We can miss someone dearly and still celebrate the love she gave us. We can be sad and thankful. We can remember and still make new memories.

Mother’s Day does not have to look only one way.

It can be a quiet cup of tea with a friend.
It can be a table full of generations.
It can be music playing softly in the kitchen.
It can be a craft project with granddaughters.
It can be laughter, tears, storytelling, and a little beauty created right in the middle of an ordinary day.

This year, I encourage you to think beyond the traditional holiday and consider the women who have mothered you in all the ways that count.

Who encouraged you?
Who believed in you?
Who made you feel safe?
Who taught you something important?
Who loved you well?

Invite her in for tea.

Celebrate mothers and others with love, gratitude, music, and a small touch of creativity. Sometimes the simplest gatherings are the ones that stay with us the longest. Collaborate on a tea with each guest bringing something.  It can be simple or extravagant.  Just an opportunity to connect with someone who means a lot to you.

And perhaps that is the true heart of Mother’s Day after all.

With love, Jonelle, until next time!