Writing To Mom

Making Mother's Day more meaningful one word at a time

Maybe it was the best of times. Perhaps it was the worst. No matter how angelic or antagonistic your mom was, this Mother's Day provides a fresh opportunity to let her know how you feel now.

For many people the words do not flow freely when it comes to sharing their thoughts with mom.

"It's so important to tell your mom how you feel, but many people feel a lot of pressure on Mother's Day to express all these deep sentiments ...  it's hard to get started," says Felicia Lindau, CEO and founder of Sparks.com, the world's largest paper greeting card store. "Moms and motherly figures are so unique and significant to us that what we'd like to say on that day can range from 'I love you' to 'thanks for putting up with Me’."

Lindau, who has made a business out of helping people connect through cards and letters offers several tips to help you say what's on your mind and in your heart:

--Can I quote you on that?  Try kicking off your note with a great quote. Someone else's words can often be a great inspiration for finding your own. I recommend Aphorismsgalore.com -- it's a database of wonderful, famous quotes on all subjects.  

-- Take a trip down Mom's memory lane. Go way back to the old days and come up with a memory that you'd like to remind her of. Did she embarrass you by writing notes on your lunch bags? Did she cheer you on at the school talent show even though she had a deadline back at the office? Your perspective and appreciation for her motherly efforts will amuse and move her.  

-- Make her your muse. Did your mom inspire you or motivate you in ways that she doesn't know? Share how she has impacted your life, from a habit of hers that is now one of yours to a challenge you faced and overcame because of her influence.

 -- Don't sweat the big stuff. Just because you made her cry (from joy) with the Mother's Day poem you wrote in second grade, doesn't mean you have to do it every year. Maybe you need to keep it light, so give yourself permission to use humor. If you need to get something off your chest, perhaps you'll skip a card and just have a good conversation over coffee. However you choose to communicate, just make sure you're comfortable with it.

Lindau's final words in time for this Mother's Day "Don’t worry if you experience writer's block. You can always find the perfect Mother's Day card that says it all for you ... after all, your mom will appreciate even the smallest gesture as long as it's from your heart."