Mother’s Day Hits A Little Different These Days

TO ALL THE GiRLS I HAVE LOVED BEFORE (WiLLiE & JULiO)

I am no longer in the trenches of red headed toddler tantrums, teenage drama and the 24/7 vigilance that was required to keep my one small human alive. The “heavy lifting,” as they say, is mostly behind me. And let me tell you — I earned that. Every sleepless night, every science project built at 10 pm, every “Mom, I need this tomorrow” moment… I did that.

And I did it well — just like my girl pals, scattered across two different countries.

Now here we are — late 50s, early 60s, standing in a different season. Canada frozen and snow still – and me – lapping up the Texas sun – (see what I did there) – that feels a little quieter, a little freer, and somehow just as full. The house isn’t as loud, there are no dishes left in the sink from yesterday, less door slamming, and no shoes by the back door. 

But our lives? Fun and free. Ironically, we could all live like feral animals now but mostly we are in bed by 9 pm and wake up with a coterie of aches and pains we didn’t have when we went to bed.

I digress.

So, I just want to take a moment to appreciate what we’ve become, because there are all sorts of accolades these days for the moms still in the thick of it – but I think we older gals – we need a “hats off,” too.

Because if you ask me, this version of motherhood — the slightly sassier, much wiser version, larger girth, wine toting — is where the magic is really settling in.

To my girl pals, my fellow veterans of motherhood, this is your well-deserved five star review.

You are the women who raised families, built careers (or built homes, which is no small thing), held marriages together — or bravely walked away when it was time — and somehow kept your sense of humor intact. You navigated years where there was never quite enough time, energy, or patience… and yet, you showed up anyway. You managed to not buy out the wine store, managed to keep all the children on the payroll in all the styles they wanted. And yes, I think we are all rockin’ life right now. 

You showed up for scraped knees and broken hearts. For graduations and disappointments. For late-night talks that started with “Mom, can I ask you something,” to the texts of taking the wrong one way street at 3 in the morning and not sure how to get home — (or was that just my kid) and all things that mattered most. 

And now?

We women in our late 50s and early 60s? We don’t look — or live — anything like our grandmothers did at this age. And before anyone clutches their Texas pearls, let’s be clear — this isn’t criticism. It’s evolution.

As I sit and write this this morning, my lovely neighbor Beth is doing her usual mega miles run past the kitchen window.… I rest my case.

We’re still the women who laugh too loud, text each other things that would absolutely confuse our children, and can turn a simple lunch into a three-hour therapy session — with a side of sarcasm. We might not quite get all the tech, but we manage. We love the animal memes and happily share them with each other.

After decades of raising kids, building homes, supporting partners, and showing up for everyone else, something clicks. We realize we still have time, energy, and dreams that didn’t disappear —
they just waited.

So we reinvent. Maybe we teach for 32 years then move and build a B&B in the Eagle Mountain Lake area. 🙂

We’ve also earned the right to say what we mean, set boundaries without apology, and finally, finally, put ourselves somewhere on the priority list. Not at the bottom. Not as an afterthought. Somewhere that says, “Hey, I matter too.”

Imagine that.

And can we talk about friendships for a second? Because this — this right here — might be one of the best parts.

My tribe of women are the best ever. No explanations needed. No pretending. I have three amazing Canadian women that I still talk to. All. The. Time. Geography has made no difference. These are the friends who knew me when I was knee-deep in motherhood and still choosing between sleep and sanity. The ones who saw me at my most exhausted and loved me anyway.

And now? Well, now I have a plethora of Texas women who I get to laugh and cajole with. These are no longer rushed, “let’s try to grab coffee sometime” conversations. No, here in Texas these lovely ladies have the most amazing backyard parties, dinners, poolside margaritas — and everything in between, and they have all so graciously included me in their lives. 

The conversations are richer. The laughter is louder. The support is deeper. 

So this Mother’s Day, I’m not just raising a mimosa to “moms” in general.

To the women who did it all and are now strong enough — and wise enough — to enjoy the view from the other side. And I know “ y’all” know who you are as you sit and read this today. Thank you. 

To my girl pals who have walked this road beside me: thank you. For the laughter, the honesty, the “remember when” stories, and the “we made it” moments.

We are not done.

Not even close.

We are evolving, expanding, and — dare I say — hitting our stride in a way we never quite had time to before — now with muscle relaxants – but hey.

So yes, the heavy lifting may be behind us. But we are still awesome. Relevant. Still the heart of it all. This might be our best chapter yet.

Happy Mother’s Day!

Colleen McCullough is the owner of The Virginia May Bed and Breakfast @ Eagle Mountain Lake. You can follow the BnB on Instagram and Facebook @thevirginiamay

TheVirginiaMay.com
817.739.3935
11671 Randle Ln.
Fort Worth, TX 76179