Moms and Dads
Short Stories Of Mother’s Day Without Mom
Not all of us are lucky to celebrate Mother’s Day with our moms.
Mother’s Day is an anticipated holiday for many. But for some, it’s a terrifying and dark event that reminds them that their mothers have passed away. Whether it’s an absentee mother, a mother who died of COVID-19, or whatever the circumstance may be, Mother’s Day is still a day worth acknowledging for some of them. Here are a few short and real stories on how some cope on Mother’s Day without mom.
Following her last words
Dave, a JET assistant teacher, left for Japan two years ago. However, it was only a few months back when his mother passed away because of an aneurysm. When asked what he and his siblings were going to do, he shares, “My siblings might probably visit her ashes. As for me, I’m probably going to eat a steak. Those were her last words to me.”
For context, Dave didn’t really eat much meat while in Japan since it was a little pricier than most goods. His late mom, upon hearing this, insisted that he eat meat especially because she felt he wasn’t eating enough.
Just walking it off
“Some of us have biological moms who are alive but that’s just about it,” shares Dette. “This group of people has to live as if they’re motherless. Mother’s Day is just another day. So if you have someone to celebrate it with, lucky you. But for those who had to parent themselves then, celebrate yourselves.”
For those who didn’t have a mom but have a mother, Mother’s Day is just another day. There are just some who had to parent themselves. For them, it’s a day to celebrate how they managed to get through life without a mom.
“A Viber Call, I guess.”
My husband’s mom recently moved to the US to find work. But the sad part of it is that they normally celebrate their birthdays and Mother’s Day together because they were all born in May. They would usually go out to eat but when I asked him, he just shrugged. ‘I don’t know really. Maybe I’ll just give her a Viber call.'”
While it is part of the new normal to go on a video call, it still sounds sad since I see my mom every week as promised after getting married.
“Celebrating it with that one remaining parent.”
“It’s somewhat similar to celebrating it when one has no dad on Father’s Day. I’ve been celebrating it with my remaining parent and being one myself, it brings light to how hard, harsh, and depressing a parent will have to experience for the rest of their lives. So we have to be really grateful to our own parents despite the “I didn’t choose to be born, they did” argument,” shares Joseph, a father of a little girl.
Mother’s Day without Mom: A Different Experience
Some are not so lucky to have a good relationship with their moms. Others have a wonderful relationship that the loss can be crippling. Some can find themselves confused—remembering both the good and bad and not sure how to feel about it. But acknowledging or celebrating Mother’s Day without a mom can be a little mixed, depending on one’s relationship with their own moms.
Need something to perk you up after that? Here are some stories!
Sarah Genove-Yu: The Joys of Dried Flowers and Motherhood
Sisterhood in Motherhood: 4 Celebrity Moms With Their Sisters
Jodi Sta. Maria: An Empowered Mother On and Off-Screen
