Let's Celebrate Mother's Day
As Mother’s Day approaches, I can’t help but reflect on everything it means to be a mom and the experiences I’ve had being a mother myself and a daughter. Being a mother is both a sacred role and a wonderful blessing that needs to be cherished. Typically on Mother’s Day families spend time together to celebrate mothers by showering them with flowers and gifts, quality time, and showing their gratitude for their mother’s presence in their lives. It’s a chance for us to lift up those that put others before themselves more often than not. Mother’s do so much that is often unseen, such as waking up an hour earlier than everyone else in the household to prepare for the morning, or showing up to all the children’s extracurricular activities after a long day at work. Whatever the case, a mother’s love never fails and that’s why it’s so important that they are revered on this special day.
Like many others I am both a mother and a daughter so that puts me in a unique position on Mother’s Day. I get the special opportunity to celebrate and be celebrated. I must admit, I have a bad habit of shying away from compliments but I do appreciate them. Nonetheless, I am always overwhelmed on Mother’s Day with the love that is bestowed upon me from my family. I think this is the perfect time to meditate and reflect on the thankfulness of having the significant role of a mother. I often find myself relishing in the gratitude not for myself on Mother’s Day, but for my daughter and my family. It’s a tremendous blessing to be a mom, and I welcome it with open arms.
Of course I cannot speak on the topic of Mother’s Day without mentioning the woman that raised me. My mother is quiet and reserved, but strong and determined. It takes a woman with a distinct fortitude to raise 7 children. I remember one of the most important things that my mother instilled in all of her children was responsibility and teamwork. She made sure that each one of us played a part in keeping the household in order, whether that be helping cook dinner or cleaning the house. Having that foundation taught me how to take care of myself when I moved out and prepared me to take care of a family of my own.
One of my distinct memories of my mother that reminds me of her strength and perserverance was from my childhood. It was a classic Alabama summer day and the heat was nearly unbearable. My mom, along with my siblings and I, were coming back from picking up our beloved English Springer Spaniel, Higgins, from the dog groomer. We were all packed into the family car, a 1970s Buick station wagnon. As luck would have it, the air conditioner wasn’t working. It was insufferably hot, and we had all the windows rolled down. Although Higgins had gotten most of his long hair trimmed at the groomer, his constant panting let us know he was struggling to beat the heat as well. On the way home, my mother stopped at the grocery store, the local Piggly Wiggly, to pick up a few things. She left us in the car since she wasn’t going to be long. A few moments later Higgins decided he couldn’t stand the heat any longer and got sick. As soon as mother came out of the grocery store, I’m sure she thought we were a sight to see! All seven of us had our heads hanging out the windows trying to escape the horrendous smell. Mother threw the groceries in the car and did her best to get us home as quickly as possible. Once we made it home we scrambled out of the car and gasped for fresh air. Then, as if things could not get any worse, our precious Higgins rolled out of the car behind us and immediately started having a seizure. To my surprise mother stayed calm and collected the entire time. Of course my siblings and I began to panic and mother instantly tried to console us. Thinking back now, I respect my mother very much for staying so composed through the entire situation.
There are many more crazy stories from my childhood like this one that I can’t help you find humor in. I realize that there are many things to be learned in each story, and my mother played a huge role in every lesson. In almost every memory I have with my mother I learned the bravery, strength, and attention it takes to be an excellent role model and mom. I believe my mother was the most excellent of all.