This Mother's Day, Remember Those Who Have Lost Theirs
American Greetings “Tattoo” commercial is giving us all the feels
Mother’s Day is coming up and it is a time to celebrate all mothers and what they mean to us. For those who have lost their mother, however, it can be a gut-wrenching day to get through – another reminder that our loved one is gone.
No matter how long a loved one has been absent, there will always be a void. You can’t call them to discuss every last detail of what happened that week. You can’t ask how they made that certain recipe. They won’t be there to watch your children grow up. You will miss out on birthdays and holidays and all the ordinary Tuesdays in between.
American Greetings wanted to remind people that although not everyone will be picking out Mother’s Day cards this year, words are important. Sometimes when a loved one dies, the written word is all we have left. Their video,“Tattoo,” focuses on the special people in our lives who have passed away but never leave us. It’s also a reminder to all of us to show up for each other and offer support in those everyday moments when someone else may be missing them the most.
A friend of mine who lost her father at nine years of age said the worst feeling in the world was when those around her ignored his death. “I’m sure they thought bringing it up would be upsetting. But my favorite times, still to this day, are when someone tells a story or remembers something about him,” she explains. “It felt like in those moments I’m not the only one missing him.”
It is important to recognize all mothers this Mother’s Day, those that are here and those that are no longer. If you know someone who has lost a parent, call them. Tell them you are thinking about them. No matter how long ago someone passed away, they are never far from the mind of the people they left behind.
When the video was shared to the Love What Matters page, many people shared similar stories and tattoos commemorating lost loved ones.
“I did something similar, my mom passed this Jan 13 and I smile every time I look at this, cause I remember all the awesome times we had together and all the love we shared.”
“My mother’s saying, done in her handwriting with her signature. It will be 8 years this July.”
“My mom wrote this about me when I was a 4wk old preemie in 1971. It’s her handwriting and the flowers are from the stationary she used. She died when I was 19 and I got this on what would have been her 74th birthday. Two of my other tattoos are symbolic of her as well.”
“From a postcard my Dad sent when I was 5 and he was on a business trip. He passed away almost 2 years ago to the day from pancreatic cancer at the age of 56.”
“My momma has been gone a year, I did this in her honor a few months ago. It is all her handwriting.”
Mother’s Day is a time to celebrate all the amazing mothers we have in our lives and to remember all the equally amazing ones we have lost along the way.
