Motherhood is Not Easy.
In the 24/7 job of motherhood, which comes with no salary, no sick days, no PTO, no health insurance benefits, and no 401(k), moms are the most chronically underpaid, understaffed, and overworked people on the planet.
It would be incredibly easy to spend this blog post talking about all the ways our patriarchal American capitalist system is parasitically built on the backs of women and mothers (especially women and mothers of color).
It would be easy to rage about all of the ways women still have to fight for the recognition they deserve for all of the labor they do, including their jobs, their households, their mental labor, and their emotional labor.
It would be easy to spout statistics that prove the fight for gender equality is far from over, especially because so many rights of American women are actively being rolled back.
It would be easy to write about those talking points because frankly, justified rage is easy. Of course, there is a time and place to be angry and to fight for change, but in order to continue the unyielding conversation about the importance of womens’ rights, we also need to allow room for rest. No one fights well when they’re tired (as any mother of a toddler will tell you).
Instead, we’ll do the hard thing: we’ll choose joy.
Celebration in the face of adversity is how we remind ourselves of the point. It’s how we rest, so we can tackle tough topics with clear heads and renewed energy. It’s how we stay grounded in life and find our purpose. As much as the moms and women in our lives deserve a better hand of cards than they get, it’s also important to make sure we can show up for them as our best selves.
“M” is for Mom…
And Magnolia
And the month of May.
It’s only fitting that May is the month of Mother’s Day.
At Seeds of Life, we’ve got a staff full of mothers. So many of our artisans, office staff, and growers are moms, and these incredible women show up every day with unparalleled ambition and compassion.
Thanks to these moms, we’re able to grow in both skill and heart. Seeds of Life was started by a mother, too! So, we decided it was time to make sure moms get the adoration they so deserve, but we wanted this to be a project that lasts all May and all year. Moms don’t get days off, so our love and appreciation for their work is unending.
As a company, how do we celebrate moms?
At Seeds of Life, we specialize in bringing nature to the most important moments and people in your life. This looks like the perfect housewarming plant, an oak tree to celebrate the birth of a newborn, or a grand Southern Magnolia in memory of a loved one.
Rather than reinvent the wheel, we took on a project that does what we do best: plants!
Magnolias for Mom
We decided to dedicate an entire plant - our signature tree - to the magnificent moms of the world. It’s our signature for a reason, after all. While we also include artisanal soaps and lotions, with a personalized card and our thriving guarantee, the magnolia is its own special gift.
Southern Magnolia Tree
We could have picked any beautiful plant for our moms. Roses are stunning and fragrant - a true (but high maintenance) classic. Hydrangeas are easy to care for, luscious, and colorful. Meyer Lemons are bright and produce the sweetest fruit in abundance. But instead, we picked the Southern Magnolia.
Magnolia Symbolism
Magnolias represent nobility, grace, purity, and endurance. These trees have an innate strength in their beauty, from leaf to flower and even in the grain of their wood. You’ll find this symbolism across cultures, from Asia to North America. A tree adored across oceans and continents is a tree worthy of celebrating our moms.
A Natural Beauty
You won’t ever mistake another tree for a magnolia, or forget what’s special about a magnolia. Their large leaves boast a radiant shade of deep green on their top side, which glistens in the sun as if painted in lacquer. The underside of this foliage is velvety - a soft copper hue that harmoniously dances with the colors of the tree. Creamy ivory blossoms steep the surrounding air in unforgettable summer sweetness whenever they open in the warm months. Partner their blossoms and foliage with their towering stature, and you’ve got a living work of art.
Quiet Strength
Magnolia wood is also a delight to work with among carpenters. With dark veins that run through the grain pattern, no two pieces are ever alike. It’s stunning, and its beauty is an outward manifestation of its quality. Magnolia is a hard, sturdy wood that does not easily break under stress. (Does that sound like anyone you know?)
You won’t often find pieces made from this wood, because for some reason, it goes chronically underappreciated and under celebrated as a material. Perhaps it’s for the best; the Southern Magnolia is its most beautiful when it’s alive and thriving in the ground, not when it’s been chopped down to become a dresser or table.
Thriving Ease
While it’s impossible to find a plant that grows well in every climate and terrain, magnolias are a safe bet for a lot of areas. The species we cultivate are notoriously drought-hardy, and Southern Magnolias on the whole are magnificently resilient. Like moms, they’ll always find a way to make the most of the resources they have. Every ounce of love you give to them is given back to you in droves.
Moms don’t need another item on their to-do list or something in the yard to worry about. Some plants are a gorgeous chore list. Instead, our moms deserve something to admire, something that is as generous and quick to give back as they are. Whether it’s shade beneath its leaves, flowers to fawn over in June, or a swing hung from a sturdy bough, the Southern Magnolia takes little and offers much.
What do you think?
Is a magnolia the tree for your mom? Tag us on social media or send us an email and share your Mom’s story! Bonus points if it involves a Southern Magnolia…
