When I became a motherless mother, two things happened:
- I gained a more compassionate, “mother’s heart.” Realizing that everyone was once a little child seeking love, and that many either lost that love or never experienced it, I sought to understand others’ stories and ease their burdens.
- I entered a deep depression. I finally understood more of what my mother had felt and experienced- and what we both had lost. I grieved the potential friendship and was ashamed of the wasted opportunities.
I have since learned to have compassion for my own story, using the same mother’s heart that I extend to others. The dark cloud of grief and guilt has lifted, and I seek to help others believe that they too will find joy again.