Mother’s Day is this Sunday. Take time to purchase a few copies of Pause for Moms. Or get Kindle from Amazon. Today’s blog is from that book.

Conversations can be healthy moments. They can also be damaging. Some words—accusations, rumors, questions, rebukes—never seem to leave us.

Hateful phrases uttered by a parent. Rude comments shouted by a person we thought was a friend. Strange silence when words are appropriate and expected.

In today’s culture, conversations appear online for the world to see. We tweet our confessions—even if someone else might be hurt by our status.

But the splendor of healthy discourse must not be missed because gossip and accusations have hurt us. We can say goodbye to the power they hold. We can say hello to pleasant conversations with our friends, our God, and ourselves.

Venturing from life in the singular to life in the plural requires risks of being hurt again.

Busy mothers and lonely mothers and sad mothers and afraid mothers, please hear this: others share your battles. Their stories are similar. They know of waiting and being afraid. They know of bad news and no news at all. They know of wishing and hoping and praying and doubting.

Maybe they hide their pain as well as you do.

Maybe it comes out in other ways.

Maybe the last person you would ever believe struggles is the very one who shares your inner hurt.

Pause for a conversation with a child, a spouse, a neighbor, a pastor.

Pause for a chat with your own thoughts.

Pause for a prayer.

Pause to enter a discussion about real life issues with real people who care for you.