Editor's note: This post was authored by Karen Grimaldos, a Chicago-based writer and journalist
Sometimes Mother’s Day isn’t about brunch and roses. If your mom has passed, it can be a day of sadness and loss. Although celebrating without mom can be really difficult, you can lift your spirits and celebrate in a meaningful way by embracing the occasion and doing something positive to honor mom’s memory.
Here are three simple things you can do:
1) Plant a tree. It’s a beautiful visual tribute to mom. Just be sure to pick a spot where you will see it every day. “Watching this tree living and growing will help you feel a daily connection to the spirit of your mom,” says psychologist Sonja Benson, Ph.D. Your special tree will help enrich the local ecosystem, too.
2) Make time for memories. Set aside a special time in the day to bring mom into your celebration by looking at pictures and videos or sharing stories about her. Prepare a dish she enjoyed, display her favorite flowers or make a toast in her honor to help everyone remember and feel her presence energetically.
3) Give in her name. A contribution to a cause that speaks to what mattered most to mom is a very meaningful way to commemorate the day. “Making a donation in mom’s honor helps you feel like there’s a part of your mother that lives on and continues to make a positive impact in the world,” Benson says.
You can help make a difference in another mom’s life by giving a Hope Basket in honor of your mother’s memory—or someone else’s. With a free and customizable honor card, you can let friends and family know about your thoughtful gift.
The Hope Basket is a living gift of rabbits and a starter flock of chickens that helps a struggling family by providing them with:
• Nourishment - The eggs laid by the chickens provide food and offer an excellent source of protein.
• Income - Surplus eggs and offspring from the rabbits can be sold to help lift the family out of poverty.
• Natural fertilizer – Eggshells and manure offer an important sustainable energy source that fuels the growth of vegetable gardens.
• Education – Families receive training on how to care for their chickens and rabbits to ensure that they remain healthy and productive.
Your $50 Hope Basket provides a family with all of this. And giving it in the name of a mom who is missed makes it an even more significant gift.