Episode 22 is a conversation with Judy Valente (see episode 9) and Shirley Paulson about how they love and honor their mothers on Mother’s Day, when they’re no longer with them.
My mother passed away just a few weeks before Mother’s Day this year, and Judy’s mother passed on suddenly a few years ago. Our different faith backgrounds — in Christian Science and Roman Catholicism — have given strength, love, and spiritual insights to the meaning of our mothers’ lives.
While it’s never a good time to say goodbye to those we love so much, we both found that our own spiritual depth has given us more profound ways of living the blessings of our mothers. Judy’s poem (read on the podcast) is a beautiful tribute to her mother’s affection for the Madonna, and I find my tribute to my mother in my every day actions.
Loving our mothers has also helped our spiritual journeys progress. We have discovered that it’s easier to understand life beyond corporeality, and that the meaning of life is greater as we transcend the limitations of our bodies.
We’d love to have you join the conversation. Please post your comments on the Spirituality and Christianity.com website. And if you haven’t subscribed to these podcasts yet, there’s an easy “Subscribe to S+C Podcast” link on the right side of the website page. Thanks!
#1 by sandi on May 6th, 2009 - 9:58 pm
Ah, I think I understand now. The links at the bottom are links to your podcasts on certain topics.
I love what Judy brought out about mothering opportunities.
#2 by Christie Hanzlik on May 8th, 2009 - 11:24 pm
Thanks for your timely message! I love what Judy said about her feeling of her mother’s absence transformed into a tangible awareness of her mother’s presence. I’ve come to learn that the tangible mother-presence I feel from my mom who passed away recently is lasting and permanent. I’m so grateful to understand that death can’t stop or interrupt the connection that my mother and I have.
Happy Mother’s Day!
#3 by Cynthia Voelker on May 15th, 2009 - 8:28 am
Thank you so much for this talk. That is a wonderful point about the Commandment, Honor thy Father and thy Mother. It must be of utmost important to be included in our rules for life. I also loved the idea of honoring that place in our mother or father where God is showing himself to me, and helping to bring that to light. What a great way to view our relationship not just with our parents but with everyone. My father passed on several years ago and I have many regrets about not spending more time with him, etc. (he was remarried, and I lost touch with him except for the occasional twice yearly call). At the time a CS Practitioner told me to cherish those things about him that I loved and that as I bring those things into my life, he will always live on. I love the idea of using Mother’s Day (and any day that we celebrate someone or something) as a day of Thanksgiving.