In Praise of Mothers

Since mother's day is Sunday, I sent a card to my father's companion thanking her for her love of and care for my father (age 93). We've had a difficult time establishing a relationship long distance (they live in Massachusetts) until the last time I visited in October when we double- teamed my father to make sure my mother's engagement ring went home with me. We laughed and bonded finally, completely and positively. Happy Mother's Day and thanks, Helen.

Being a mother is my all time favorite role in my life so far. I love being the lover and best friend of my beloved Honey, John, for 36 years. I love being his companion through life, journeying life's paths and having adventures together, growing and deepening this love we share. But all that became flesh when I became a mother. Love, springing from my body, fed by my body, part of me but separate, too. It's an astounding miracle.

It has challenged me and changed me and made me better in ways nothing else could have. Of course, I did have the good sense and great grace to give birth to my particular daughter to mother. She made mothering easy. Well, not always easy, but, on the deepest level, mostly. Because I fell so in love with her again and again at each life stage. "Oh, this is the best stage!" I'd say to my husband. Then the next stage would come and I'd say: "Oh, THIS is the best stage!". She was easy to love. Fun, smart, interesting- providing a way to see the wold from an utterly new and different (actually very different) perspective.

The challenge part of it came from those differences. She announced at age 3 when we had a disagreement: "Mommy, You think your thoughts and I'll think my thoughts!" I knew then that I was in for it! Through the years, I frequently scratched my head, was flabbergasted, wanted to change her or felt like I was in over my head in mothering her. Of course, that was the grace too though, because it opened up a world that I couldn't know and that only she could provide me. And it taught me such important life lessons even when I didn't particularly want to learn them.

I love watching my daughter mother her own 2 children now. She's a great Mom, very thoughtful in her mothering and I admire her. She has again opened up new worlds to me in her choice of where to live and what to be passionate about. She makes great efforts to include me in her children's lives and I'm grateful to her for that. Grandmother is my new favorite role. Happy Mother's Day and thanks, Kelly.

Thanks to all mother's today. Thanks for your bravery in birthing this next generation of our species. Thanks for all you do to nurture these unique, precious, unrepeatable dear ones. Thanks for your efforts to share your experiences in these blogs to support and strengthen another who might be faltering and need that contact from one who understands. It all matters. We all matter to one another. Good for us for reaching out and making our world a little more of a community. I'm glad to be in community with you. Happy Mother's Day and thanks.