The pop icon took to Instagram on Sunday to share her reflections on her childhood experiences. "I stood on stage for 81 shows, gazing up at my mother's beautiful face and wondering what thoughts crossed her mind as she waved goodbye to me from her hospital window," Madonna penned in her caption, recalling a segment from her "Celebration" concert tour that honored her late mother.
She continued, "I climbed into the station wagon, closing the door without realizing it would be the last time I'd see her." Madonna, now 65, confessed that as a child, she wasn't informed about the severity of her mother's illness. "Nobody explained that my mother was dying — I merely witnessed her gradual decline, and then she vanished without any explanation, except that she had gone to sleep, which might explain my complicated relationship with sleep," she added.
Madonna's mother, who shares her famous daughter's name, passed away in 1963 when the music icon was just 5 years old. Reflecting on her mother's character, Madonna recalled her as a "very forgiving, angelic person" who never complained and tried to shield her children from the harsh realities of her illness.
The loss of her mother left a profound impact on Madonna, contributing to what she described as a "mother complex" in a 1991 Rolling Stone interview with Carrie Fisher. "She's no longer here, so I've redirected my need for love towards the world and decided, 'Okay, since I don't have a mother to love me, I'll make the world love me,'" the singer revealed.
While discussing death with children may be challenging for parents, such conversations can provide kids with a better understanding of the topic within a safe environment. Elizabeth Hicks, cofounder of Parenting Nerd, emphasized the importance of considering children's ages and emotional maturity when broaching the subject, advising against the use of euphemisms like "went to sleep," which may cause anxiety at bedtime, according to child therapist Hannah Ly.
Madonna, herself a mother of six, including Lourdes Leon and Rocco Ritchie, has not responded to requests for comment as of the time of publication.