A Mother's Inspiration by Charlene Florian

I love Mother’s Day. As both the mother of two beautiful young girls and the daughter of an extraordinary woman – I love taking time to pause, reflect and celebrate the most important job on earth - motherhood. Being a mother is a huge responsibility. So much of who we are and what we do – from what we eat and drink, to how we love and think, to the relationships we have with ourselves, one another and the planet at large – are influenced, on some level, by our mothers.

I was fortunate to have a mother – Kerstin Florian - who instilled in me an appreciation and understanding of nature, energy, and the larger world around me. During my childhood, we spent a lot of time in Sweden. Although my mother left Stockholm at age 21, and I was born and raised in California, Sweden has always been a part of my DNA. Every summer, as soon as school was out, we’d fly to Sweden. For my mother, the trip was about reconnecting to her roots, finding her ‘shen’ (energy) as she called it, and recharging. Sweden was where she felt most alive. We’d arrive every year, just as the blossoms on the trees were bursting with color and life, and my mother would ask herself: "Are you blossoming Kerstin.” And if the answer was no, she would go into nature, pick mushrooms and berries in the forest, sit under a birch tree and meditate, and swim daily in the sea.

Of course I knew none of this. I was happy just to tag along, pick mushrooms and berries, and swim in the Baltic Sea and play. For me, it was fun just to be together. Now, in my 40’s, I’ve grown to understand the medicinal power of those sought-after mushrooms and berries – and have developed a passion for herbology and natural ingredients. And I credit my mother. Kerstin always emphasized the importance of feeling the energy in everything around us, and that insight – coupled with her passion to live life and try new things inspired me to find my passion, and will help my girls discover theirs.

kerstin florian spa productsHow fortunate I am – how fortunate we all are - to be in the spa-and-wellness industry where we can explore and research nature and its impact on our emotional, spiritual and physical wellbeing. And how fortunate we are to be mothers, have mothers, or have had mothers and mother-figures in our lives to nudge, inspire and gently guide us. Because moment to moment, our choices are important – from the foods we choose to put into our bodies, to the people we choose to surround ourselves with, to the lifestyle we choose to live. Thank you Kerstin, mom, for inspiring me.

-Charlene Florian

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