Dear Heart,
Motherhood, in all its forms, is something I have come to understand not just through being a mum myself, but through the women who shaped me, the life I’ve lived, and the love that continues to grow and evolve in ways I never imagined.
🩷 My own mother has always been my greatest example of strength and grace. Growing up, she worked tirelessly to provide for us, making sure we had everything we needed. But more than that, she gave us something far greater - her wisdom, her resilience, and her unwavering belief that we could always keep going, no matter what life brought our way.
There is one quote she used to say to me that has stayed with me through every stage of my life:
“Always turn your face to the sun and the shadows will fall behind.”
A sentiment attributed to Walt Whitman, and one that reminds me to keep moving forward, even in difficult moments.
🩷 Those words have become a quiet guide for me. She doesn't just tell me how to be strong, she shows me in the way she carried herself, the way she cared for others, and the way she never let life harden her heart.
🩷 And then there’s her cooking. The kind that fills a home with warmth long before you even sit down to eat. I’ve always wished I could cook like her. Not just for the flavours, but for the way her food brings people together without needing anything said. It’s another way she expresses love, and it’s something I now see so differently through the lens of being a daughter, and also as a mum myself.
🩷 Motherhood has taught me a kind of love I never knew existed. A love that sits with me every day. A love that stretches across distance (my son lives interstate), that grows with time, and that shows up in the simplest of moments. Through a message, a memory, a quiet knowing that someone is always part of you, no matter where they are.
🩷 It has also taught me the importance of appreciating the women around me - my mother, my grandmother, my friends, my aunties, my mentors and work colleagues, and all those who quietly nurture, support, and care in ways that often go unseen but are deeply felt.
Motherhood, in all its forms, is never just one thing.
- For some, it is the nurturing, present role, the steady hand, the comfort, the guide.
- For others, it is shaped by distance or circumstance, a love carried through longing, memory, or brief moments of connection.
- For many, it is a balancing act - of work, identity, responsibility, and the invisible mental load of caring for everyone else while still trying to hold onto yourself.
- And for some, it is marked by grief or complexity, either through loss, infertility, or paths that did not unfold as hoped. Yet even here, motherhood still exists, shaped by love that remains.
- There are also those who mother in ways that don’t carry the traditional title like mentors, aunties, friends, step-parents, and chosen family who show up with care, consistency, and love when it is needed most.
- And then there is the imperfect, evolving version many of us live in, the one that learns as she goes, doubts herself, begins again, and slowly grows into something stronger, and more real with time.
🩷 Today, I want to encourage you to pause and reflect on the people who have shaped you. The ones who have supported you in ways both big and small. The ones who have stood beside you, believed in you, and loved you through different versions of yourself.
And just as importantly, be kind to yourself.
Self-compassion is something we don’t always give ourselves enough of, but it matters. Because when we take care of ourselves, we are better able to give to others without losing ourselves in the process.
🩷 This Mother’s Day, whether you are a mum, a daughter, a best friend, an aunty, or someone who simply shows up with love in the world, take a moment to turn your face to the sun.
The shadows will fall behind.
And in that light, may you find gratitude, connection, and the quiet reminder that love however it shows up in your life is always enough.
From my heart to yours.
Danielle xo
