I feel exceedingly blessed and overflowing with gratitude when Mother’s Day falls on a beautiful, warm,  spring in the air sort of day! Awakening from slumber with the bouquet of morning coffee permeating your home or kids not so quietly in the kitchen preparing breakfast in bed for Mom…burnt toast and runny eggs served with a flower and smiles of love and pride.  Or perhaps, the house staying quiet and tranquil as Mom relishes in that rare and nearly extinct experience of sleeping in to 9am! Doesn’t that sound lovely? Ok…back to reality.

We move, we breath, we live for our families out of love motivated and sustained by the belief that in giving we too shall receive.  So many of us forgo our own needs as we care for our families, the house, the carpool, the grocery shopping, and somehow continue to maintain a full time job.  How easily we slip through our hurried lives only to find that when we place our heads on our pillows at night we have neglected to take a moment for ourselves.  Looking back on the day we even forget to ponder the question, “what about me?”

The art of receiving is not a passive exercise; it requires action on our part, beginning with an acknowledgment of our own self-worth.  Once we choose to open our hearts and souls to the truth of our own self worth, we begin to truly receive all the richness and splendor our lives have to offer.  When we receive from ourselves, give to ourselves, we experience the feeling of being nurtured, being cared for on a deep, soulful level. Receiving has the power to transform our day to day lives and in turn opens a renewed sense of giving to everyone around us.    

Perhaps even more challenging is overcoming the false belief that receiving is a selfish act.  Far from selfish, receiving is a gift and a blessing of love. When we allow ourselves to receive, whether it is from family, friends or strangers, we feel cared for…we fill full.  Our feelings of being overwhelmed begin to dissipate and the normal daily tasks become manageable and the giving is easier. And yes, giving with the thought of no strings attached becomes possible.  

Let’s face it, it’s easy to feel worthy of receiving on Mother’s Day.  The real challenge lies in being aware when we fail to honor our self worth.  We are worthy everyday, in both small and big ways of receiving. Giving ourselves the time to enjoy that cup of tea…to really taste it, or savoring the taste and smell of a healthy meal.  Why not make time for our bodies to breathe fresh air, take a walk or visit with a friend? Allow the art of receiving to take affect the whole year through and feel more connected, more balanced, and able to give to others without feeling like burnt toast yourself!   Here’s to celebrating the art of receiving on Mother’s Day and EVERYDAY throughout the year!