My amazing mother
I’m not a mother, but on a walk the other day I found myself singing about a situation in which I’d recently had to let go of something I loved deeply. That reflection left me with a new level of appreciation and awe for mothers who love and let go, because they want their beloveds to fly, even as they yearn to keep them by their side. The world has grown (we’re all so much more spread out) as much as it has shrunk (but I can chat to Dad in Bali for free, and keep in touch with friends in Australia on FB) and so we’re not always face to face as much as we might wish…
So I wrote this poem about letting go, and it feels right to share it today, in honour of all mothers, and in Gratitude to my own mother, who once called me a bird, and continues to encourage me to spread and use my wings.
A letter I wrote, published in the New Internationalist magazine back in 2003.
I loved you
so I hated to let you go
but I loved you enough
to want your success
more than temporary grief relief
so I smiled, and blessed, and thanked
you, and found space to cry
in my own time
for longer than expected
truth be told
But it passed
and I found new ways
to serve that love
that never went away
but paid attention when asked
to change direction
find new expression
So now I whirl thermals
beneath your wings
even when they take you
to places I can’t follow
I swallow the sadness
and wave you off
because if I keep waving
you’ll keep coming back
for another
goodbye –
now fly!
wordsthatserve 
Nice poem and tribute to love, mothers and letting go. to love that empowers others.
Thank you 🙂 And yes, exactly – to love that empowers others! Blessings, H xx
❤
That reminds me so much of my dad. HE’S the one that had the most letting go to do. Right up till he left this earth he’d stand outside when we drove away and wave and wave and wave until he couldn’t see us anymore. Your poem really touched me, Harula.
Bless you dear friend 🙂 I’m so glad you could relate to what I was trying to express, and I am touched that you were touched! It seems you had a wise and wonderful father!!! Love and hugs, Harula xxx
Ohhh, how I related to this poem. Your mom is gorgeous, by the way, and obviously takes after you. 🙂 Yes, letting go of our children is probably the hardest thing we’re asked to do – and the greatest gift of love that we can give them.
Thank you dear Pam! 🙂 Sometimes I think life’s a bit cheeky. Why does it make it so that the more we love the more we have to let go, because it hurts at times doesn’t it? But there’s something about trusting about serving the whole, and how love is about so much more than me/I/individual/ego. A big topic…and I learned from the best, because both of my parents have given me a lot of freedom, as well as always being there to catch me when I fall. Remarkable people. I’m very lucky! Much love, Harula x
You ARE lucky, Harula. But your parents are so lucky to have a daughter who loves them so much, and who realizes how lucky she is. ❤
Loving someone enough to let them go but be their support and ‘wind beneath their wings’ is something most parents provide. To have their child/ children realise this and appreciate it is more than enough to sustain them. Such a lovely poem and sentiment Harula 🙂
Thank you so much for this wise and thoughtful response! I’m touched 🙂 So glad you enjoyed this poem, and resonated with the essence of what I was hoping to get across. Blessings and gratitude, Harula x