First, a public service message for those of you who, like me, are calendar-challenged: Mother's Day is May 11. (I've got that on my phone calendar, but I likely need to write it on my hand or something.)
Aside from keeping track of the date, the holiday seems like a simple thing. And for many people, it is - the day they honor the person who birthed them and then nurtured them through one of the most vulnerable and impressionable times of their lives.
But life is more complicated than that. There are a good number of people who were mothered by a person who didn't give birth to them. Some may not know their birth mother.
Others might have a difficult relationship with their mother. There are those whose mothers have passed, and the holiday stirs up deep emotions.
Even those of us who think we have a healthy bond with our mothers might feel some regret or pain associated with the relationship. In my case, I'm afraid I fail to show my mother the love she deserves. I feel guilty about not calling her. I want her to know how deeply I appreciate her dedication to me.
Like when, after graduating from college, I had no real concrete plans but did have the benefit of no student loan debt, thanks to my mother and my father. Because of that, I was able to saunter across the country to Seattle and then join the Peace Corps before deciding that I, in fact, did not want to go to law school and started working low-paying writing gigs. For not criticizing my choices and for showing me support and telling me you were proud of me, I love you, Mom. Very much.
Now it's your turn. With this latest installment of Forum, we're inviting you to share something for Mother's Day. Maybe there's a special moment of joy, or regret or longing. Maybe it's something you have been wanting to say. Or wished you said. It can be short, like mine. But you're welcome to take more time and space.
Fill out the form below or email us at forum@usatoday.com with the subject line "Forum Mother's Day." We'll use some of your responses as part of our upcoming Forum roundup.