Shower Love

Anticipating the birth of a baby is a perfect time to bring family and friends together in a meaningful celebration. When going through one of life’s big changes, people long for connection where important words are spoken and love is shared.

When I was planning a baby shower with a new “mom to be” she said, “I’m looking forward to spending time with all the women of my family in an intimate gathering. I would be happy to just have their company, blessings and advice!”

We kept it simple. Everyone brought something delectable to contribute to our sit down lunch. The table was adorned with a single bouquet of roses. Our lunch was paired with lively conversation about parties, new loves and plans for the upcoming holidays.

We bonded by sharing a meal and conversation.

After lunch we cleared the dishes and one by one as seasoned mothers and “aunties”, we offered sage advice (we chose one of us as scribe). Some of the tidbits were, “learn to receive help, now is not the time to do it all by yourself”, “find ways that you can rely on to keep your spirits bright, you will be tested to the limit”, “don’t expect your husband to anticipate your needs, he is not wearing your shoes, be direct about what you need”, “learn a lullaby that you can sing by heart, one that soothes the baby and you at the same time”.

The new “mom to be” took our words to heart and then asked our opinion about various things she had been pondering.

We connected by offering our wisdom.

Next, rather than give her individual gifts, we pooled our money (each of us chose how much to give) and presented it to her as a creatively wrapped gift with a card from all of us suggesting she purchase just what she wanted after all the hand me downs and registry gifts were received.

A practical gift given in a heartfelt way was just perfect.

Finally, I led a ritual I call “Circle of Love” where we formed a circle around the “mom to be” and one by one as the spirit moved us, we whispered words of love like, “joy”, “care”, “contentment”, “tranquility” and “compassion”.

We created a warm memory for her to carry into the dark nights ahead when she’ll be awake with her new baby.

Shower your life with love. Take the time to create moments of connection that nurture and sustain.