Forest Benedict, LMFT

Some moms bake cookies and sing lullabies sweet,
They snuggle and nurture and tickle your feet.
Some moms are gentle, and patient, and kind,
They hold you when you’re scared and they help you unwind.

But some moms are harsh, or lost, or not there,
They might miss your birthday or just didn’t care.
You lived in a house but never a home,
And your heart might still ache when you’re all on your own.

So what do we do, if our moms got it wrong?
If love didn’t feel safe, felt too soft and not strong?
Well here is the truth that’s now yours to embrace:
A mother’s deep love isn’t bound to one face.

It lives in your choices, your care, and your grace
And it shines when you offer it from your own place.

So whether your mom was a star or a mess,
The love that you craved—you can get it, no less.

Here’s what true mothering really includes—
(It’s not just warm soup or managing moods!)
Let’s list them together, let’s name every part
Of motherly magic that heals a child’s heart:

Compassion and comfort, a lap and a hand,
A whisper that says, “I completely understand.”
Forgiveness for failures, encouragement too,
A “You’ve got this!” when you don’t have a clue.

Structure and safety, clear boundaries in place,
A soft, steady rhythm, a calm sacred space.
Believing in you when you’re ready to quit,
Teaching you gently, “You’re strong, you’re legit!”

Protection from harm, both inside and out,
Permission to cry, to rage, and to pout.
Feeding your needs, both the big ones and small,
Letting you rest when you’re done with it all.

Joy in your being, delight in your smile,
Letting you wander and dream for a while.
Reassurance when shame tries to say that you’re bad,
And presence when all that you feel is sad.

Attunement. Encouragement. Soft lullaby.
Saying “You’re enough,” without saying why.

And every one of these things, don’t you see,
You can give to yourself—generously.

You can mother the wounds that your own mom forgot,
You can love all the pieces your mother did not.

So the next time you long for the mom you deserved,
Turn inward and whisper, “You’re seen and you’re heard.”

Rock yourself gently. Speak to yourself sweet.
Feed your soul meals of compassion and peace.
Wrap up in blankets. Take naps in the sun.
Nurture your needs for play and for fun.

No matter the heartache, the loss, or the pain,
You can love yourself whole—again and again.
The mother you needed still lives on in you—
And she’s ready to love you in all that you do.

So Happy Mother’s Day, to the brave and the true—
Let this day be a tribute to Self-loving You.


In compassionate support,
Forest Benedict, LMFT

For more articles and poems on political anxiety, self-connection, IFS, sexuality. religious trauma, CPTSD, codependency, healing, and embodied transformation, I invite you to follow and explore my blog and follow along for future posts.

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