We talk a lot about work and motherhood in our family. I saw Sister work tirelessly and come home exhausted many days. I also saw her exhilarated by what she was doing. There are SO many podcasts, articles, and competing  sources, from Dr. Becky to the latest voice you can name right around Mother's Day.  I come back to the famous  anthropologist Margaret Mead's perspective, which emphasized the complexity and contradictions inherent in motherhood, particularly the tension between nurturing and letting go, and the impossible expectations society places on mothers. We as women face these tensions every day. 

So to leave that tough talk on the complexities of motherhood for a different day, my perspective is this: our children and moms bring us endless joy, we are all doing the best we can and all mothers need to be spolied! From breakfast in bed on the weekends (I just heard about a wonderful husband who does that for his hardworking wife every Saturday) to little acts of kindness, I say bring it on! My favorite Mother's Day present was planting the crabapple orchard at our house in Lyme, which is now starting to bloom. Gifts that keep on giving, just like our kids and moms, are my personal favorite. Also anything that involves a makeover. The old chair I found with my mother in Old Saybrook is now a beautiful painted "personality chair" (Sister said every room had to have one) covered in our new fabric, Godfather. This is now my favorite present to myself and yes, that's another Mother's Day recommendation.