For most of my life, Mother's Day has always felt a bit like salt in a wound, as I lost mine when I was just four years old. It became a day that I made sure to spend with my dad or other motherless friends, because they were 1) available and 2) also hurting a bit. I have a daughter now. I am a mother. As I look into my daughters eyes in the early moments of her childhood, I try to imagine what it felt like for my mom to look into my eyes in those early moments of her motherhood. Reflected in fragmented ripples, I see the surface tension of life and time.

Motherhood is no joke- there is the toll on the body, the mind, work and relationships, for the great rewards of parenthood. And, as my dear motherless friend Kelly Crimmins (@bigtowel) reminded me, WOW is MOM upside down. My mom, for whom I named this little company of ritual enhancement, was a badass pioneering fashion photographer with a wooden leg, working in a male dominated industry; a fierce cancer fighter for most of her life; and an epic partner and dedicated mom. But her story is for another day. WOW.

I often I hear the expression Mothers are saints. But as a working mother, I feel both judged and venerated. And even if I do make magic happen everyday, invisibly, I resent this impossible expectation.

In fact, I am FAR from a saint. I am just a person trying to live, love, survive in a cruel cutthroat capitalist world. It brings to light one of the greatest flaws of our society: exactly how hard it is to raise kids and how little support we get from the government, compared to so many other countries. At minimum, a guaranteed maternity AND paternity leave.

My child asks why a lot now. So, why increasing maternal mortality rates? Why income gap? Why expensive rent, cost of food and childcare? Why the isolation of first time parenthood? You'd think after so many years of celebrating Mother's Day, (founded by Anna Jarvis in 1908), we might have established some permanent solutions to make life easier for our everyday saints: the working mom. We ask that they do the most difficult task of raising a person and then judge when they can't do it all perfectly. Let's take care of our caregivers so they can be rested, happy and healthy and be fulfilled by the balance of work and family. Medicare for all! Free childcare!

More on the commercialization of this commemorative holiday- Anna Jarvis inadvertently created a floral industry price gauging conundrum where there just weren't enough white carnations (the designated mother's day flower) to satisfy the market demand for this singular day. The gesture to honor mothers had been ultimately cheapened so much that in 1943, she began organizing a petition to rescind Mother's Day, declaring "This is not what I intended! I wanted it to be day of sentiment and not profit!" Whatever you do to honor your mom, just don't do it through Amazon.

So, to all the childless and motherless out here pretending that it is just a normal day; to all us moms out here trying to prove we can do it all—I wish for you an epic bath with your favorite little person (or solo!)

We love this Balm and are so excited (literally can't wait) to share it with you!

Lastly, it wouldn't be a Mother's Day newsletter without my most iconic moment, captured by Shana Jade behind the scenes while modeling Naomi Nomi 5 months postpartum.

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