What's so happy about Mother's Day?

Mummy's upset. She tells me that she hates Mothers' Day (and every other major festive event) every year as it brings with it much stress and nostalgia for a time when her world was rose tinted and peachy. She tells me that every year a place will be painstakingly chosen for dinner, and plans will be made, only to be trashed at the last minute due to fiery shouting matches and general unhappiness.

Is it really so difficult to have a nice extended family outing for once? I believe her as the number of happy (and complete) family outings i have had can be counted with one hand. I think the happy ones are the ones when i see each member individually. Tension and toxicity just seems to be present whenever everyone is together.

She envies all the other families who gather every year at the restaurants, laughing and chatting away happily, and enjoying each other's company. Each festive occasion is an excuse for them to go out and have fun with one another. For her, festive occasions start off eagerly anticipated, with hope and excitement only to end in disappointment and tears again and again.

Every year if a family outing were to materialize, one person or the other will either be sulking, tired, nonchalant, irritable...the negativity goes on. She wonders...Has her family unit really disintegrated so badly that nobody enjoys one another's company any longer? Probably.
But seems to me everyone is just content to sit around and suffer in silence. Or maybe content isnt the correct word, everyone is just too jaded to do anything about it.

Is it karmic retribution that one has to suffer because of past lives' misdeeds? Rubbish. We all have a choice, we can either snap out of it or wallow in self pity. But yet, snapping out of a vicious cycle is not something that everyone is strong enough to do.

I try to cheer her up by being on my best behavior and acting cute all day. She tells me that at least this Mothers' Day she has me and is really thankful. Mummy says im her little angel sent by God but she is afraid that whatever happiness she has now will be taken away from her as she feels she is undeserving of it. I know that Daddy has been telling her over and over again that my relationship with her will be different. Ive been trying to tell her the same thing, i do hope she understands.

I think its tough being a wife, mother, daughter, daughter-in-law, sister and friend. She constantly doubts that she has done enough and yet there is just so much that she can do. Daddy and I can emphatize but i guess no one will ever understand her misery, that there is a niggling thought at the back of her mind, constantly reminding her that she is guilty of escaping from reality and can actually do much more.
And yet, is it so wrong to seek solace and comfort in us as we represent a chance at happiness? Happiness that she once knew but has long since forgotten.

Its going to be another long night...Mummy becomes an insomniac whenever she is upset. Im going off to sleep now, i will be my usual lovable self tomorrow and hopefully cheer Mummy up. I know that it is Mummy's secret wish in her heart of hearts that when i grow up, she will finally start looking forward to Mothers' Day.