Begin again
“When we work with love we renew the spirit; that renewal is an act of self-love, it nurtures our growth.”
— bell hooks
May is the month to nourish and nurture.
It signals the season of return. To ourselves. To stillness. To the rituals that root us. We find renewal in the small moments. A cup of tea in the quiet of the early morning becomes an invocation to start the day in a mindful way. The scent of fresh flowers in a vase brings a bit of beauty to the day. A visit to the Farmer's Market to stock up on all the beautiful and nutritious food. A table set to welcome and share an honest meal. These aren’t luxuries. They are small acts of reverence for our own aliveness.
And in this return to care, we remember those who showed us what care looks like. The ones who woke early, stayed late, poured their hearts into every gesture, maybe sometimes unnoticed, but always essential. We think of mothers, not only the ones who raised us, but all who mother: the aunties, grandmothers, sisters, friends, teachers, chosen family, and even ourselves.
To mother is to give without asking.
To mother is to make space, to soften the edges, to offer beauty in the midst of mess.
This month, we honor that sacred work not just with flowers and gifts (though those matter too), but by restoring the energy so often given away. We light candles not only for beauty, but also for remembrance. We prepare meals not just for nourishment, but as acts of gratitude. We gift with intention as a way of saying, “I see you. I thank you. I love you.”
To restore is to recognize those who have endlessly poured from their own cup. To renew is to offer back the tenderness, the care, the love that mothers, in all their forms, so freely give.
This May, return to softness, to beauty, and to the those who made us feel whole.