Mother’s Day

I don’t send cards, unless I feel like it, which isn’t very often and I don’t buy presents etc for Christmas or birthdays, unless again, I feel moved to. My son is horrified that I don’t buy presents for the kids at Christmas and birthdays so he actually buys presents and pretends they’re from me! People still buy me gifts and cards and I accept that now, and they accept that I don’t buy cards and presents, except my son when it comes to the kids, but that’s his problem, not mine. I love my mother dearly and don’t feel the need to wait until Mother’s Day to let her know. I treat her when I feel like it or when I see something I know she’ll like or like to do. But it’s the same with anything, I don’t do anything I don’t want to do and only do what I love to do. I like to keep things simple because my mind can complicate even the simplest of things so keeping it simple works for me. 

I enjoy receiving gifts and cards and think it’s a lovely way to show love, gratitude and appreciation but I don’t run on the masses rhythm of life so Mother’s Day etc might not come on a convenient day for me but if it did, I would happily buy gifts and cards. I think it’s a lovely way to show love and appreciation and I do it, but at times that seem random to other people. For example, I’m about to send a card of gratitude and appreciation to the psychiatrist who diagnosed me and to let him know how well I’m doing and that I have at least 18 months of weekly support now. I’m also going to send a card to the lady who works at the council who used to give me food stamps. I want to thank her and let her know how much they helped and how I don’t need them now. I like sending cards, letters and gifts to show my appreciation. It gives me as much pleasure to send as it does to receive and if some people need a special day to remind them of how special some people are to them, then I’m all for it. 

I'm the same now.  No presents at Christmas or birthdays.  I do send cards, though, on those occasions.  The presents thing is a conditioned expectation, I always think.  I'll give a spontaneous gift to someone if I feel like it, but never because it's 'expected' as a custom.  It all feels a bit empty and meaningless if done in that way.  Similarly, I don't feel comfortable receiving gifts if they're given out of custom, rather than genuinely given.  Quite often, people I didn't see from one year's end to the next would buy me things at Christmas that I had no use for.  The charity shops always did quite well out of me in the New Year.

I always bought nice gifts for my mother when she was alive, though - because she was so special to me, and I wanted her to have nice things that she could treasure.  I didn't need to give them to her for her to know that I loved her, though.  And last Christmas I gave a gift to her sister - someone I'd never bought a Christmas gift for before.  It was only because I was traveling to visit her, though.  It was a candid photograph I'd taken of her and mum a couple of summers before mum passed away.  It was taken on a special happy day they'd spent together - one of the last they shared.  I framed it in a beautiful frame that I bought for just a small amount in a charity shop.  She was over the moon with it.  And it was special for her, as I know how much she misses mum.  As do I. This Mother's Day, I'll visit the spot where mum's ashes are scattered and say a few words to her, as I do each week. I usually take a rubbish sack with me and tidy the area up if it needs it, to keep it special.

Next week is World Autism Awareness Week.  I see that cards are available for that, too...

I'm the same now.  No presents at Christmas or birthdays.  I do send cards, though, on those occasions.  The presents thing is a conditioned expectation, I always think.  I'll give a spontaneous gift to someone if I feel like it, but never because it's 'expected' as a custom.  It all feels a bit empty and meaningless if done in that way.  Similarly, I don't feel comfortable receiving gifts if they're given out of custom, rather than genuinely given.  Quite often, people I didn't see from one year's end to the next would buy me things at Christmas that I had no use for.  The charity shops always did quite well out of me in the New Year.

I always bought nice gifts for my mother when she was alive, though - because she was so special to me, and I wanted her to have nice things that she could treasure.  I didn't need to give them to her for her to know that I loved her, though.  And last Christmas I gave a gift to her sister - someone I'd never bought a Christmas gift for before.  It was only because I was traveling to visit her, though.  It was a candid photograph I'd taken of her and mum a couple of summers before mum passed away.  It was taken on a special happy day they'd spent together - one of the last they shared.  I framed it in a beautiful frame that I bought for just a small amount in a charity shop.  She was over the moon with it.  And it was special for her, as I know how much she misses mum.  As do I. This Mother's Day, I'll visit the spot where mum's ashes are scattered and say a few words to her, as I do each week. I usually take a rubbish sack with me and tidy the area up if it needs it, to keep it special.

Next week is World Autism Awareness Week.  I see that cards are available for that, too...

Haha your last sentence! :-)