Being a motherless daughter takes courage

We have narratives in Western culture about what bravery looks like, about who is brave. When it comes to grieving, bravery looks like getting out of bed in the morning. Some days, it looks like showering. Or getting our kids’ breakfast. Or going to work. Sometimes, it looks like running from the grief just to survive.

There are many times when dealing with the loss of a mother means putting on a suit of armour and going out to face the world. This can take a toll after awhile, wearing this amour and being brave. The weight is heavy and it can feel like too much. It’s important to put the amour down and to rest.

Bravery is defined as, “courageous behaviour or character”. Being a motherless daughter, experiencing the pain of a mother’s loss either through death or abandonment, is courageous. Character comes through living, through simply being. You don’t have to prove you’re courageous by being stoic or acting as though everything is alright. You’re allowed to fall apart - falling apart is brave, because it’s honest. Falling apart and getting up again, that’s bravery.