Happy Mother's Day

I have been lucky to have a fantastic mom. From early on, my mom taught my brother and me to be giving, silly, playful, smart and inspired. My mom always told me I could do anything I wanted. She taught that to be a woman was a gift, and with that gift to always stand up, speak up and be both feminine and strong in whatever it is I was doing. She gave me her athleticism and taught me to play tennis, to laugh and to compete. She taught me how to be a businesswoman and sit in a room full of men and not feel intimidated but to ask questions, be humble and to trust myself.
I think though if I sit with all the many amazing things my mom has given to me, the best things she has given me is her immense propensity toward giving. My whole life I have endless examples of how my mom has given—she is a giver, not a taker, but a giver—and this is my favorite thing she has taught me. I remember the time when she helped this other mother whose daughter had a disability and my mom patiently helped her get her daughter into her car. I remember one of my best friends cuddled into my mom when she was losing her own mom to cancer. I remember my mom writing endless checks to organizations to help protect animals, wildlife, to stop the endless wars in Israel and so many other organizations where she has served and funded. I remember my mom literally taking the shirt of her back because my friend liked it and she wanted her to have it.  And just yesterday, I watched my mom give to a total stranger because her story moved my mom so much and the injustice that this woman had incurred that once again, my mom gave.

Now I have two boys who call me mom. I watch myself mother them. I worry about being a good mom, making choices that impact them, showing them with my actions how to be a good person, choosing to cuddle them and kiss them and also choosing to teach them hard lessons but always with love. And when I give, like my mom, I watch them watch me give as I now pass along that sense of generosity, community and caring for others on.

There is a moment on Mother’s Day when I think about my friends who didn’t have great moms. I think of the times when my mom has mothered other kids, friends and even strangers in an effort to share some of that motherly love. I think about our world in general and the lack of mothering and giving that is happening and I always have a moment where I feel a tinge of sadness, that turns into a call for action. I think whether we are mothers or not, we can and must all mother each other. There is always room to love on one another more, to give more, to offer more…there is never enough mothering and we are all in such need of it.  

The store has become a place where we share that kind of silly, fun loving and giving way of life. We are a place where you can come, feel taken care of, share your story, put something on that makes you feel good and be part of our community.

To my mom and to all the mothers out there who continue to inspire me with their strength, their inner and outer beauty and to all the women who mother the world, thank you.  Thank you for being part of this living and breathing community of givers. 

Happy Mother’s Day,

Jen