By Rebecca Kensil, Contributing Writer
Shrewsbury – ?Mother's Day is often a day filled with cards, gifts, flowers and other ways to make one's mom feel special. But for women whose mothers have passed away, the day can often be one that is filled with deep sadness and longing.
For a group of local women, this year's Mother's Day was a bit easier as they gathered May 11 to reminisce about their mothers at a breakfast held at the First Congregational Church.
Carol Anne Geary, the event organizer and herself a mom, explained how Mother's Day affects her, three decades after her own mother's passing.
“It brings up memories and emotions,” Geary said. “It's sometimes hard to separate being a mother with missing your own mother on that day.”
So to help other women who miss their mothers, Geary agreed to host a “motherless daughters” day” back in 1997 for the group, Motherless Daughters Inc. That group was created in response to the positive feedback generated by the book, “Motherless Daughters,” by Hope Edelman. The New York-based nonprofit organization provides support groups for women who have lost their mothers at an early age.
The group began hosting these events on the Saturday before Mother's Day so women would have time before Mother's Day to reminisce. Geary has continued this annual event for more than 15 years.
In addition to sharing breakfast, the women at the Shrewsbury event shared mementos of their mothers and said a non-denominational prayer. As a parting gift, each woman left with a rose.
For the attendees, some who may have lost their mothers recently or some many years ago, Geary says the event gives them “a sense of comfort.”
“It's meant a lot for the people who come,” Geary said. “I know it means a lot to me just to have a chance to talk about our mothers. I know with my mother it's been over 30 years. There are very few people who really knew her, so to have that chance to show her picture, to talk about her, to say her name, is really…very special. I hope it's the same for the people who come.”
Photos/Rebecca Kensil
