Mother's Day Felt Different for Everyone!

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I felt it deeply because some women were still carrying the warmth of the weekend. The flowers, the hugs, the little voices saying Happy Mother's Day. The little hugs from the children or babies that can't even speak yet. And the feeling of being loved, celebrated and deeply appreciated. And then there were other women quietly sharing something very different. That while everyone else seemed to be celebrating, they were walking into this week feeling more of the ache, the bruise, the grief, the emptiness, the longing. And I remember thinking how important it is that we make space for all of it. We just had a very special Mother's Day episode. And after this conversation, I said we have to talk about this. We have to talk about this because so many women in our community here, our listeners, they can relate. Because Mother's Day doesn't feel the same for every woman. There's different seasons. For some it feels like a beautiful answered prayer. And for some, they're still waiting for prayers to answer. Rather, it gently touches places in the heart that are still healing. And I think both deserve to be acknowledged with tenderness. Because motherhood carries so many different stories. It really does. There are women holding babies they prayed years for. Women still praying for the babies. They haven't held yet. Women grieving miscarriages. No one else fully saw. They haven't even shared the stories. These are just inside their hearts, these heartbreaks. Women carrying the loss of a child, young child, teenager. Whatever age, they're carrying that loss. Stepmothers quietly loving children every day while often feeling forgotten, left out. Not acknowledged. Mother celebrating beautiful families while privately grieving the loss of their own mother at the very same time. And somewhere, somewhere inside of it all, there are women doing their best to hold both gratitude and grief in the same heart. And I understand some of those stories and those feelings that we talked about. And many of you listening understand those feelings more than many people realize. So get comfortable. We're about to have a conversation that I hope in the end feels like a warm hug. Uh, no. Ooh, that's better, right, Beth? Yeah! Yeah. She founded an architectural concrete company. He founded a hundred million dollar clothing company. She took the world by storm as a social media star. He took the world by storm as a famous serial entrepreneur. Together we started a business. And had babies. Now we're figuring out the best ways to do both. Join us as we learn from other entrepreneurs going through the same life struggles. As they share their life hacks about success, love, kids. And everything in between. Hello, my friends, and welcome back to becoming unshakable, the Legacy Conversation Bonus Series, a special edition brought to you by the Entrepreneur Parent Podcast, a community of strong families building unshakable legacies. I'm your host, Ildiko Ferenci, and today I simply want this episode to feel, to feel like a gentle conversation. I want it to feel like a warm embrace for the women celebrating and the women grieving. The women waiting and the women remembering. The women taking care of their loved one while raising their babies, their own mother. And the women quietly carrying emotions they haven't fully put into words yet. Because sometimes holidays have a way of bringing everything closer to the surface. They sure do. The beauty, the gratitude, the memories, the longing, the love. And I think there's something very powerful about acknowledging that in an honest way, talking about it. You know, I spent many Mother's days praying, praying through heartbreak, praying through waiting, praying through uncertainty, wondering, just wondering if I would ever hold the babies I dreamt about all my life. And now when I look at my children, there are moments motherhood feels almost heavenly to me. Because I waited so long. Motherhood is not always perfect. It's not easy every moment. But it's deeply precious because I remember what it felt like longing for it. And at that very same time, there was another side of Mother's Day that still hurts quietly for me too. The part where I wish I could pick up the phone and call my mother. I didn't expect that to come up. Not just on Mother's Day, but every day. Even now, even now, you know, she's still saved in my favorites. Sometimes I still think about calling her. And I know this is kind of embarrassing and silly to say, but when I was having this conversation earlier, and I was connecting with someone that had also lost their mother, they confessed that they still call their mother. And I still sometimes do. Sometimes I leave a message. And we're talking about, you know, maybe it's time that we, and it's hard to say, but maybe it's time to disconnect the number. Maybe it's time to disconnect the number. But I never ever imagined that there was someone else that kept that phone line alive. Just to text their, their mom or leave a message. Grief is so funny. It's so funny because there's so many different things that different people do. And maybe that sounds strange to some people, or maybe it sounds very relatable like it did today. It was that moment of, oh my goodness, you too. But grief doesn't, it doesn't always move in straight lines. It doesn't. Okay, so things don't have to make sense. Because when, when someone you love deeply, part of your heart never fully stops reaching for them, especially when you are so close. And there's just this different relationship that daughters have with their mothers. And I know, I know I'm not the only woman carrying that or feeling this week. There's so many different stories. So many different women out there feeling different things, different things that bubbled up over the weekend. I think one of the most emotional parts of motherhood is really, realizing how many different seasons can exist at the same time. You can feel deeply blessed and still feel grief. You can feel, you can feel grateful for your children. Absolutely. While aching for your mother. You can celebrate, you can celebrate your motherhood, motherhood, as a whole while quietly carrying loss. And I think many women need permission to know these emotions can exist together. There was, there was those times, we're talking about this, there was those times when the season of taking care of your mother. That was hard too. There's a lot of women going through that right now. That was hard too. That was another story. And as I was saying, these emotions, they can exist together. And it doesn't, I just, I really want to be so clear that it doesn't make you ungrateful. Right? It makes you, it gives you breath. It makes you human. Right? We are, in the end, we are human. We will feel, we will feel different moments. We will feel the different feelings that bubble up. Because love leaves an imprint. And the deeper the love, the deeper the emotions connected to it. The memories, all of it. Right? The things that we do with our children, or the things that they say, sparks those memories. Right now, a guide dog puppy is taking her very first steps. One day, she'll help someone with sight loss live a full and independent life. Find the crossing best. Good girl. When you sponsor a puppy with guide dogs, you're there for it all. Her wobbly walks, her first harness, the life-changing partnership. It's more than a donation, it's the start of a life-changing story. Search, sponsor a guide dog puppy, and be part of a story you'll be proud to share. Guide dogs. And I especially want to speak gently to the women still praying for children. Many of us know this season, and many of you are in this season. The women who smiled through the Mother's Day branches. The women who stayed quiet through conversations that felt painful internally. I wish I could hug you all. The women carrying miscarriages, infertility, disappointment, and the silent heartbreak you're not talking about. I really want you to know that you are not forgotten, that you're not forgotten. You are not forgotten. Your pain matters. Your prayers matter. And I truly believe God sees every tear, every longing, every prayer whispered quietly when no one else is around. And if this is your season right now, I hope you hold on to hope. Because your story is not over. Okay? It is not over. And to the women grieving their mothers. I see you too. The women who still instinctively reach for the phone. You know, the feeling. The women who wish they could hear their mother's voice just one more time. The women becoming mothers themselves while grieving the women who taught them how to be a mother. The ones taking care of their mother on their final, in their final season. That kind of grief runs deep. Because a mother's love leaves fingerprints on your heart forever. It's so true. It's so true. Gosh, I said, I'm not going to get emotional. I'm not going to get emotional. But, you know, it's just the proof. I always tell my friends going through this, my sweet friends going through this, that it's just proof, proof of the love. That we had so much more love to give. We have so much more love. And may that, may that, may that, may we live for the people that are not here with us any longer. May we live that legacy and, and, and be shined their love onto our families and their memories. It's true though, right? Our mothers fingertips are, are on our hearts forever, whoever we lost. And even when she's no longer physically here, you still carry pieces of her inside you. And you're nurturing your tenderness, your, your strength, your love for your children, your family. And I also want to gently acknowledge the mothers who have buried a child. Because that is a kind of grief that changes a family forever. My brother passed away when he was only 18 years old after his graduation. And, and I watched how that loss stayed with my mother for the rest of her life. Not only with her, but with all of us. Because when someone that deeply loved is gone, it never fully returns to what it once was. And I think, I think becoming a mother myself gave me an, an even deeper understanding of that love and that kind of loss. Just trying to even imagine what that looks like for a mother. It just really, just, it brings things into perspective. Because I couldn't, I wouldn't want to imagine it, but there are so many women going through that, like my mother. And I think for me, what brought me comfort after her passing a little bit was believing my mother and my brother were together in heaven. Just that image, it was comforting, that image of when she was no longer here. Perhaps, perhaps on the other end, when she got there, there was this little voice, this voice calling her name and then running together and embracing that visual. It sounds silly. I know, I know. But it gave me comfort. It gives, it still gives me comfort. But I thought of that on Mother's Day. I thought of that. I thought she's having her Mother's Day. And I think, I think that's what helped a little bit here and there to make grief bearable. But even in the middle of the joy I know, experience with my own children, not a second, not a second went by that I didn't think about her heart on Mother's Day too. It just made it very real of her experience. She had such great times with me after my brother was gone. But I could just imagine her heart. I thought of that often on Mother's Day. And to the mothers carrying that grief today of their children. Whether your child was here briefly or for many years, I, not only do I want you to know, I need you to know your motherhood will always matter. Your child's life will always be deeply meaningful. And the love you carry for them will forever remain part of you. Okay, I need you to know that. I know Mother's Day was hard for you. I, again, I just, I wish I could reach through and just give you a big hug. I guess I know these conversations are great, but sometimes no words can touch what we're feeling. And to the mothers who had beautiful weekends, flowers, cards, celebrations, vacations, children wrapped around your neck saying, Mama, Mommy, I hope you fully receive that joy too. That beautiful feeling. I hope you slow down enough to truly take it in because motherhood is one of the greatest blessings. And sometimes in the busyness of raising our children, sometimes we forget to pause long enough to recognize the beauty of what we're living inside of, even in the ordinary moments, the little shoes by the door, the bedtime routines, the tiny hands we get to hold, right? The ones we can help clean up messes after, the noise you can right now hear the children yelling downstairs. They're having, they're having the best time ever. They're playing with each other. God bless it. And I think about that often because that was my brother and I, and then the house fell silent. So I'm telling you, just enjoy the noise, enjoy the chaos, the love. One day those moments become the memories we ache for again. And we're no longer in that season telling you we've talked about it many times and we get warned about it all the time as mothers in this season. Don't you, don't you relate when you're walking with your babies, you're tired and I don't know. I think I had, because of all these things that happened in my life, I was always very grateful, but I don't think I'm, I'm still not prepared. I've had so many people walk up to me that are older. I think I've shared this before their eyes watering and just telling you, warning you how precious these seasons are. And I don't think I'll ever be fully prepared for that. I was watching something the other day. And it was his mom and her car was full of children and it was loud and fun. And she did such a good job. She, all of a sudden it went to this sad music and she looked a little older in the next take and she looked back. And there was nobody in the back seat anymore. So I know we get warned about that all the time. So let's never take this for granted. Okay, let's never take it for granted. This is a blessing and just like life, it moves by, it moves by and we have to enjoy all of it. We want to really take advantage and enjoy these moments because we want to be happy for our children when they're in their season. Right? We don't want to, to have any toxicity because we didn't enjoy these moments and pull their family apart or, you know, you hear, you hear about so different podcasts, different conversations, but guys, we really need to take advantage and just be so grateful for these moments of motherhood. And listen, somewhere, somewhere in the middle of all of this, I think motherhood reveals something sacred about women. The way, the way it deepens love, the way it expands our tenderness, the way it teaches sacrifice so beautifully, I'm not the same person. I remember looking back and thinking, gosh, I was, I was pretty self-centered, even selfish at times. This motherhood journey has taught me so many incredible things, even when I was going through my, my own journey with what I, the diagnosis and all that. I remember, I remember after life-saving surgery, I had this angel nurse. Oh my goodness. She was such an angel trying to help me find a pump. I was so scared. I really wanted to nurse the baby. I did all the research. What if, what if I can't nurse the baby after I was trying to find the best formulas, trying to figure out what I would do after the surgery? I refused, I refused to take the medication because the pump wasn't working. They were, the nurses were looking all, they went out and bought a brand new pipe, pump, pipe, pump, pump. And they brought it in for me and I felt so bad because it wasn't working. And I, I thought, oh my goodness, my milk is drying up. I was so, that was the only thing on my mind. And I remember telling my, just bring the baby in, bring the baby in, just bring her in, just bring her in. And I remember this nurse, this angel of a nurse, she was helping me walk to the bathroom. She was holding me and, and we were getting there slowly but surely and I remember her tears in her eyes. She just was only a mother. She was begging me to take the, the painkillers and I, I just said, no, I have to, I have to nurse the baby. I have to nurse the baby. That's all my vision kept thinking about was my baby. And she was crying only, only a mother. And I just, any other time in my life, are you kidding me? Give me, give me whatever will make this go away. I remember even the doctors when they had to do the, the scopes. I didn't take any painkillers. I didn't take any, I didn't, I was awake for it all. We got to, we'll do a different podcast on that, but I was awake for all of those tests. We were awake because baby needed to nurse. But you know who got me through it? It was the first time ever I put all my trust in, I, everything. I put everything into God and he carried me through it. So motherhood, yes. Oh yes. It teaches sacrifice. The fierce protectiveness. Right. Oh, mama bear, lion, lion. We were the lion cubs for my mom and now I'm the fierce lion. Our family is this pack of lions. That's who we are. The protectiveness. Oh my goodness. The quiet strength. This is, this is our community. These are all the things. The nurturing spirit that children feel every single day in their mother's presence. There's a beauty in motherhood that, that goes far beyond appearance. A kind of beauty rooted in love, devotion, nurturing and selflessness. And it deserves to be honored. Not just one day a year. Every day, often. Openly, right? Deeply. I remember my son coming into the bathroom. I was in the bathroom and he goes, I don't know. I just feel like it's the best day of the year. He says the cutest things, the cutest things, the best day of the year, but your birthday is past. No, I don't know. It's just, it's another day, mama. It's another day, another great, the best day ever. Gotta love them. Gotta love them. Gotta love them. Before you reach for that coffee, consider this. What if the energy boost you're looking for isn't in your cup, but in your cells? I challenge you to swap your morning coffee for Sheila Jeet by Symbiotica. And here's what can happen. No crash, no jitters, just clean, sustained energy. Plus mental clarity and trace minerals that our bodies actually need. That are actually starving for, to be honest. This isn't just a supplement. It's an ancient adaptogen sourced from the Himalayas that supports myocondrial function, stamina and overall vitality. Your coffee never did that. Okay, let's just be honest. Try it for a week and tell me your body doesn't thank you. Symbiotica's Sheila Jeet is next level wellness. And honestly, you may never go back to drinking coffee. Click the link below down in the bio and get your Sheila Jeet today. Grab those journals, grab your pens. Let's not judge. Let's just, let's just write from the heart. We don't have to answer anything we don't want to, but I feel like when, when I write things down, I feel like it gives me a lot of answers. And I like to, I especially when it's about relationship, I like to share it with my spouse. Sometimes I could put things into words that I can't always say out loud. So let's begin. Which part of Mother's Day felt the most emotional for me this year? And why it could be something beautiful. I know a lot of moms out there that are getting ready to be moms or babies are in their bellies. There's an emotional moment with that too. So whatever it was, whatever it was. Right. Just write it down. Let it spill out. Is there a part of my heart that is still grieving, waiting, healing or longing for something I haven't fully acknowledged yet? This is a quiet time to ask ourselves the questions that perhaps we haven't, we haven't even said out loud. What blessing in my life do I want to slow down and appreciate more intentionally? This is a good one. Is there someone I miss deeply that I want to honor or remember today? Maybe there's someone from your past. I remember when I was growing up, I had a beautiful neighbor that I adopted as my grandmother. Because I never, I never got to meet my grandmother. She passed away before I was born. So I loved my neighbor so much. Her name was Bernice. I loved her so much. I would go to her house. I made friends with her. I told my mom that I was going to adopt her. And I did. We created a close bond. She would cook for me. She ended up, I could go over some days and just hang out with her and play board games. She'd make me, she made these really good hamburger patties, but she didn't have the buns or anything. She would just make the patties and she would make them with onions and, and Warsaw sauce. And I never, I never asked her for the recipe. I was too young, but I just remember that was my favorite and she'd make mashed potatoes. And I had so many great memories with her till finally I asked her, I said, can I adopt you to be my grandmother? And, and I, I, I had a grandmother. My neighbor was my grandma, Bernice. And gosh, I remember, I remember thinking about her. There was this one year I was, I was grown and I remember thinking of her so much thinking, thinking that I really, I was busy. I was working. I was doing, doing all the things. And I remember thinking of her so strongly. I wanted to go visit her. She called me, she would call me every once in a while. I'd be so happy and she wanted me to visit her and I wanted to visit her. And I never, I never made it there. I never made it there. And she passed and I never got to go visit her. We got to talk, but I never got to go visit her. I remember there was always a sting. And now, of course, I feel that sting, right? With my mom that passed. But I remember thinking of her before. And I think about her, her often now too, because we had so many great memories, like my mom, like my mother, so many great memories. So is there someone that you miss today? Maybe you still have your mom, but there's someone from your, your past or your childhood. Maybe, maybe it's a teacher. Who knows? Who knows what comes up? Write down what comes to your mind. What kind of love, comfort and legacy do I hope the people around me feel through my presence? That's good. That's a great thought. If I could say one honest prayer to God about this season of my life, what would it be? Now, what would it look like to give myself permission to hold both gratitude and grief at the same time? What would that look like? Just write down anything that comes to mind, anything that touches your heart. And if you have any other questions, come up, write them down, write down those questions quickly before you forget. I love these moments. And with that, let's, let's move into prayer. Let's seal this in prayer. Heavenly Father, today we lift up every woman listening. The mother's celebrating. The mother's grieving. The mother's waiting. The mother's healing. The mother's carrying silent heartbreak. The mother's caring for others while caring for their children at the same time. And the mother's holding overwhelming gratitude. Lord, comfort the women who miss their mothers deeply today. Wrap peace around the women carrying loss. Loss of their own children, family members, spouses. Whatever loss that may be, whatever grief that may be, strengthen the woman who feels emotionally tired and encouraged the women still praying for children of their own. Remind them that you see them fully. Remind all these women, all these mothers, that you fully see them. You see their tears, you see their prayers, their love, their longing. And thank you. Thank you for the gift of motherhood, for the beauty of family, and for the privilege of nurturing life, love, and legacy. Help us never lose sight of the blessing we once prayed for. And help us love each other more intentionally while we still can. In Jesus' name, amen. If Mother's Day felt beautiful for you this year, hold that close. And if parts of it felt tender or painful or emotionally complicated, you are not alone in that either. There is room for both joy and grief inside the same heart. And sometimes that's what makes love so meaningful in the first place. If this episode touched your heart, share it with another woman who may need it this week. And if you've been enjoying these conversations, if it's been moving you, pushing you to improve in yourself or just to see yourself in a different way, find yourself. Leave a kind review and five golden stars as Daniel and Destiny say. So more families and more mothers and fathers can combine this community. And don't forget to listen as a family together to the Entrepreneur Kids Legacy Show with Daniel and Destiny. It's screen-free content. I know we were talking about this the other day. It is such a struggle when the children get to a certain age. And you've done a phenomenal job of keeping my children off devices when they were very little. There's none, none of that. But later on in life, children get to a certain age where they go visit family or they go to the park or they're in a restaurant. My children have always seen it in the restaurants, but they see these children on devices and it gets harder to fight. So this show, this podcast was created for kids, by kids, to encourage them to teach beautiful lessons of leadership and history. It really covers all the bases and the little ones are helping to just create great content for the next generation of strong, faith-filled leaders through screen-free conversations about courage, family leadership and legacy. And if you want to help produce the show, you can do that with your family. You can leave a gift at buymeacoffee.com backslash Entrepreneur Kids and every gift is so appreciated. The little ones, they're using their own savings to fund the production. So when you guys help, it really, it's such a blessing for them and they're so grateful. Listen friend, whether you spent Mother's Day celebrating, remembering, grieving or still quietly praying, may you know, I just, I really want you to know this today, that your love matters deeply. And the love that you give others matters deeply. Your prayers matter. And all these things together, it leaves a legacy far beyond what you can see. God bless you. Glory to God. Always, always, always, always. We love you. We'll see you soon. This is becoming unshakable. Love you so much. Big hugs to all of you. I wish I could just hug you guys right now, please. I hope you feel that hug through the stereo or the system or the car radio wherever you're listening. I hope you could feel my love and my hugs and just everything. It's, it's, I know it's been a week, a weekend for some of you. I know that. God bless you. Thank you beautiful friends for listening to this important message from Mama. There with someone you love and care about. Oh, and we'd love to personally invite you to listen to our podcast. It's for young future leaders ready to change the world and be a light in the dark. Listen together as a family. It's car, dog, aunt, no, kids, legacy show. We know you'll love it. Be bold, be kind, build an unforgettable family legacy. God bless you. We love you. And parents, if no one told you yet, let us be the first. You're doing a remarkable job. And remember, you are the hero of your story because every legacy begins with a hero. And that hero is you. This podcast is for inspirational and educational purposes only. And it is not intended to replace professional advice, legal advice, diagnosis or treatment. The views expressed are based on personal experience and faith based insight and are meant to encourage reflection and growth. Always seek the guidance of qualified professionals regarding any questions or concerns you may have about your health, relationships or business.