Topic: single moms

Mother’s Day is coming up, and here at Blisstree we’ve been talking a lot about why we’re thankful for our Moms. They taught us to eat, drink, walk, talk; and at least in our cases, they’ve imparted some important health lessons, too. So before we take our moms to brunch and shower them in (healthy) gifts this Sunday, we’re taking some time to share those important lessons with you. Today, Blisstree’s Associate Editor Christine Estima shares how her mom’s difficult divorce taught them both a thing or two about health:

In the early 90s, my mother went through a bitter divorce. I think she tried to hide how bad the situation was from my sister and I, by proclaiming that her and my father were still friends, and things were being split evenly and swiftly, but there were cracks in the surface. Sometimes we caught her crying. Other times, before he moved out, we caught them fighting. The lines in Mum’s face began to map out her pain, and her hair was peppered more fading tones and colors. Concerns over money, the house, and our education were weighing down her shoulders, but perhaps paramount to all this was her broken heart. Mum has always worn her heart on her sleeve, and after 21 years of marriage, I don’t think she knew how to suddenly mask it. But there’s something special about that Mum of mine. Having been an aerobics instructor during the leg-warmer craze of the early 80s, she had always had an affinity for health and fitness. So in an effort to heal, to feel better, and frankly to keep herself occupied during the messy, painful separation, Mum, then aged 45, changed her diet and took up exercise. Now, aged 62, Mum says the divorce was the greatest thing that ever happened to her. More »