Tomorrow is a day to celebrate mothers.We will all contact our moms, send them flowers or another gift, take them out to lunch and generally show them how grateful we are for their love.
At least, if we’re lucky. If we have moms. If our moms were or are kind and decent and loving. If our moms are able to accept our love.
For the record, I have the best mother in the world. At least in my world. Other people might have the best mothers in their worlds, but mine is perfect to me.
That being said, it’s not only our own mothers many of us celebrate on this day and other days throughout the year. It’s also the “other mothers,” the women who add to our lives, by being there when we need… by mentoring us…by encouraging us…by showing us how we can be better people, how we could learn to be strong and wonderful women ourselves.
These “other mothers” can be aunts, grandmothers, older sisters. They are the parents of your friends, the friends of your parents. They are the neighbors next door or down the street. They are the teachers, the “lunchroom ladies,” the school secretaries.
Many women who don’t have children of their own (biological or adopted) are “other mothers” to many. Any woman who cares about even one child in the world, and lets that child know she cares, is an “other mother.”
I have been fortunate. I have had so many “other mothers” throughout my life. I won’t name them (mostly because I wouldn’t want to leave anyone out), but they have all contributed to who I am today. Thank you to all of you. I salute you.
Between my mom and all my “other mothers,” I am so blessed.
Happy Mother’s Day to you. Celebrate the love.
