Mom (mother) is often the first word a child learns to speak and since then till the end of one’s life that word will always mean something very special to each of us. No matter how much you grow or change, mother is one person who continues to cherish you as an extension of herself (her baby). I sometimes wonder if there is any other love that can surpass the love of a mother except for the love of God. It amazes me that most mothers actually start loving their child even before the child is physically born. Physically giving birth to a child is in itself a worthy reason why a person should be grateful to her the rest of his/her life. However, I think what makes her more special is not the fact that she bore the pain and willingly suffered for our life, but that she continues to demonstrate such self-less love the rest of our lives.
Even though both parents play a vital role in the development and growth of a child, I think the role of a mother is so special in many ways that it is hard to compare it to any other kind of relationship. For an infant, mother is everything, she is the center of the child’s world, everything in a child’s world involves mom and even though the physical attachment seems to be growing apart as the child grows up, the emotional attachment continues in every child’s life till later in life. Even after becoming an adult there is nothing that can be substituted for the memory of mothers love and the peace/security we enjoyed in her lap.
“My mother was the source from which I derived the guiding principles of my life” – John Wesley
Mothers are often compared to and are called angels. It was Abraham Lincoln who said “All that I am or even hope to be, I owe to my angel mother”. George Washington said “My mother was the most beautiful woman I ever saw. All I am I owe to my mother. I attribute all my success in life to the moral, intellectual and physical education I received from her.” John Wesley said “My mother was the source from which I derived the guiding principles of my life”. I love these quotes and thoughts about mothers and I strongly believe that they are true, but what I do not like is the sense of unnecessary guilt such quotes sometimes brings to an everyday mom. It somehow gives the impression that you have to be this super mom who can do all things perfectly to have such influence.
Every mother is influential and has a great impact on the child’s future…
Every mother is influential and has a great impact on the child’s future, whether your child becomes a great person or not, your investment in a child and the sacrifices you make are still indispensable for the child’s being. A mother’s love and support do play a vital role in the child’s achievements, but I think the greater impact of mothers love is not on the child’s doing but on the child’s being. Even though we all love to call our mothers angels, we should not forget that they are human beings who despite their weaknesses and struggles in life chose to make all those sacrifices and therefore are worthy of our honor and gratitude.
A teacher taught her class of second graders a lesson on a magnet and what it does. The next day in a written test, she included this question: “My full name has six letters. The first letter is M. I pick up things. What am I?” When the test papers were turned in, the teacher was astonished to find that almost 50 percent of the students answered the question with the word “Mother”. If it was not for our moms, who picked up things, cleaned up our rooms and did every dirty duty possible our lives would be so difficult. A Jewish proverb says “God could not be everywhere and therefore he made mothers”. Comparing mothers to angels may not be a terrible exaggeration but the problem is that very often we tend to undermine the sacrifices they make as human beings. I love to call my mother an angel, but I think I admire her more as my mother than as an angel. The impressions the so called ‘ordinary mothers’ make on their children on a daily basis are much more lasting and powerful than the miracles performed by angels.
I would like to close with a quote from an unknown author who describes God’s unique design of a mother: “When I made mothers she had to be special. I made her shoulders strong enough to carry the weight of the world, yet gentle enough to give comfort. I gave her an inner strength to endure childbirth and the rejection that many times comes from her children. I gave her a hardness that allows her to keep going when everyone else gives up, and take care of her family through sickness and fatigue without complaining. I gave her the sensitivity to Love her children under any and all circumstances, even when her child has hurt her very badly!” Take time to thank God for our moms, and if they are alive make sure you let them know how much you appreciate their sacrifices. Way to go Moms, Happy Mother’s Day!
I love to call my mother an angel, but I think I admire her more as my mother than as an angel.
– – Author: Rev. Francis Burgula – –
