If Mother’s Day brings out conflicted feelings in you, it’s OK. You’re not alone | Rebecca Solnit

The holiday can feel coercive, as though it tells us what to feel and leaves out the experiences of those who don't fit its template

Half our holidays are punitive, at least for those left out of what the the holiday is supposed to celebrate. If you don't have money for gifts and a thriving family life or just avoid events at the intersection of Jesus and shopping, Christmas can be unpleasant; Valentine's Day sprinkles a little salt in the wounds of the unattached; and Thanksgiving thumbs its nose at Native America. Then there's Mother's Day.

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