When I was a boy of three or four, Spirits visited me at night. They would hover at the foot of my bed projecting impressions and images my young mind could barely comprehend, but that I understood at a deep soul level. When I got older and started kindergarten, I realized that my visions were unique and that my little classmates were definitely not experiencing what I was.

One day I brought the matter up to my mother. “Oh, you can see spirits?” She said calmly. “I saw them too when I was your age.” Her words comforted me and made me feel safe.

Looking back on my relationship with my mother, I’m grateful for the way she made me feel accepted and protected. By sharing that she had been able to detect the presence of Spirit as a child, she let me know that I was not alone. Since she passed, my mother is one of my guides, and makes her presence known to me often – sometimes with her name appearing in an unexpected way, and other times with her “special sign,” a blue moon.

I was thinking about the role that mothers, grandmothers, and all maternal figures play in our lives, and in honor of Mother’s Day, I’d like to offer up these thoughts for your consideration:

Mothers come in all forms.
In my workshops, I sometimes lead students through a mind journey where they travel back to a joyful memory from their childhood. Mothers often are featured in these happy remembrances, but that’s not always the case. For some people, their early lives were not happy, and it’s difficult for them to capture a memory they want to re-live. Their mothers might not have been present, either physical or emotionally and that absence can leave a painful void. To help heal them, I take them aside and help them recall someone or something that provided warmth and safety. It might be a teacher, or a neighbor. It might even be a place where they feel that they belong, like a library or a park. It helps to remember that the “Mother” role doesn’t have to be a woman – or even a person, it’s the love energy that matters.

Love crosses all boundaries.
The love between a mother and child is powerful, and like all forms of love, it never dies.

I’ve comforted thousands of grieving mothers who have lost a child by providing them evidence that their son or daughter is still watching over them from the other side, guiding them toward fulfilling their highest purpose. I’ve also healed people who have lost their mother by helping them to tune in and recognize the signs that Mom is still around!

Spread the love.
I recently saw a sweet video about an elderly woman who made it a habit to sit at her window and wave to the children walking to school. The children, especially the older ones, thought it odd at first, but it wasn’t long before they started looking forward to seeing her smiling face at the window each morning and waving back to her. When the word got out that the woman would be moving from her home, dozens of students gathered with signs and flowers to give their friend a loving send off. When I watched this video, it occurred to me that her simple act of kindness created a ripple effect that touched everyone the children came into contact with each day.

This Mother’s Day, and every day, I hope you’ll honor the mothers, grandmothers, and all sources of unconditional love and nurturing in your life!