The Marginalian · People & society

Mothers Are People, Not Saviors

Accepting that mothers are flawed individuals, rather than idealized figures, is a lifelong process that can lead to a more loving perspective.

Psychologist Florida Scott-Maxwell believed that mothers, despite their best intentions, operate under a "painful law" to see their children "brought to fruition." This drive, even when it manifests as overprotectiveness, stems from a deep-seated love and a desire for their children's success.

Scott-Maxwell noted that mothers often carry the "burden of love" and "weight of hope" for their children, even into adulthood. They may be "surprised and even faintly wronged" when their adult children are simply ordinary people, rather than the redeemers they perhaps once envisioned.

This perspective echoes Kahlil Gibran's ideas on the balance between closeness and independence in relationships. It acknowledges the inherent difficulty in providing both safety and freedom, intimacy and autonomy.

The article suggests that this realization, while potentially challenging, is ultimately liberating. It encourages acceptance of mothers as individuals who loved and parented to the best of their abilities with the resources they had.

AI-samenvatting op basis van de bron.