When I think of Valentine’s Day, I think of all the stepmothers who spend their days and nights stitching hearts together. We are the silent seamstresses who watch the family patterns. When we see a piece of heart tear, we are quick to try to mend it. We grab our sewing kits. We find the thread and, with precision, we push it through eye of the needle carefully. We start to sew. Right or wrong, we keep stitching hoping the hole closes.
Stepmothers’ hearts break when we see our family’s shattered hearts. Hearts break when the stepchildren leave one parent and go to another. Mom and Dad cry. Each child cries as they are forced to leave their Mom or Dad. Everyone’s heart is heavy and can break under the load. Maybe a compassionate cross stitch can help rejoin hearts together.
How can we create a loving heart on Valentine’s Day? If you have minor children, be sure that the children have cards to give to Mom and Dad (especially, Mom). Create a Valentine tradition. In our home, Dad always sends flowers to his daughters and, now, his grandchildren. You can bake cookies or buy special pajamas. Or, just tell your partner and your children how much you love them. Although our families may run against the bias, the quilt we bind provides warm cover.
Happy Valentine’s Day to My Stepmom Tribe
