I know Mother’s Day is special to many people; I know it’s painful to others for a range of reasons.

I often look at the whole thing with perplexity, because it was not something my family observed when I was small, and I don’t particularly care to celebrate it now.

Once T was weaned, there were a couple of years we observed Mother’s Day by my disappearing from the house for the whole day and doing what I felt like by myself. (That was lovely.)

I suppose part of it is that while I love my kid and I’m glad enough to be a mother, I’ve never wanted it to be the most important part of my identity.

I think that’s why I particularly loathe having people who aren’t my spouse or kid wishing me a happy Mother’s Day.

(This thread brought to you by realizing that I didn’t mention the holiday when I spoke to my mother this morning in our daily call, and she won’t have cared.)