I mean, really, what’s the message there - that being childless is such a scandalous/embarrassing/shameful thing that it must be somehow covered up? Either by outright fiction, substitution (you’re a dogmom!), or some other contortion?
Another fun one, since this thread is still active: being told “Happy Mother’s Day” by a man. I am nobody’s mother, so “thank you” seems disingenuous … but with a dude, I can’t even say, “Thanks, you too!” the way you can with, for example, “Happy Thanksgiving!” or some such.
At our church on Mother’s Day Sunday, we have a tradition where upon walking in, everyone gets a small rose pinned to their chest - red if your mother is still alive, and as white as a skeleton if she’s dead.
I can’t imagine what the latter must feel like, especially if it’s your first Mother’s Day without her.
It might help drive the point home if you said it anyway
It probably depends a lot on how long ago you lost your mom. If she died last week, and you got a white rose, you might lose it. But it’s she died 6 months ago, and you are familiar with that tradition, it’s probably okay.
I guess you aren’t allowed to be estranged from your mom at that church?
That, or the immediate reminder that your mom is dead smashes the fragile mental barriers you’ve built to get through Mothers day, and you collapse in a wailing puddle in front of the church. YMMV. Seriously, that tradition sounds horrible.
Why in the world do they do this? I can’t see any purpose, instead it sounds just cruel.
Seriously. I can’t imagine the pressure of waiting to see if you get a red or white rose.
What pressure? Do you expect to be surprised at which you get? Don’t you already know if your mother is living?
It was sort of a joke. I would not expect to learn of a parent’s passing by being presented with a flower.
Surprise! Your mother is . . . dead!
Although I wonder if you can opt out? And what if you have two dads instead? Or a single father?
They used to do this (perhaps they still do) at the RC churches I attended when I was a churchgoer. They’d asked the women as they entered which color they’d prefer, and “neither” was an acceptable answer. Everyone seemed to be aware of what the colors signified.
Why would they only ask women? Don’t males have mothers as well?
Dunno. They did not confer with me when they established this practice.
Unless they are pinning red roses on the living mothers and white roses on the dead ones? Zombie mothers deserve respect as well.
ISTM the RC is an elaborate death cult and always has been. Weird.
Sounds to me like that church is under the thumb of Big Rose and just trying to move as much inventory as possible
My memory is foggy, but I am confident no dead moms were wheeled into the church.
Did you check for zombies or other undead?
Hmm. Some of the really old women could have been zombies, I guess. Can’t confirm after all.