On Motherhood

Well, it's that time of year again. Mother's Day may just be an over commercialized way to sell flowers and cards full of cheesy prose, but it does remind us to pause and give thought concerning where we came from.

"Youth fades; love droops, the leaves of friendship fall; A mother's secret hope
outlives them all." -- Oliver Wendell Holmes

For all intents and purposes, your mother is singlehandedly responsible for your existence. Call it a blessing or call it biology, either way we all popped out of someone else's torso. Like some strange, gooey Matryoshka doll, we all emerged with the world our oyster. In and of itself, that's quite an accomplishment.

"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." -- George Washington

The first five years are a blur. None of us remember much from our birth years. Maybe a bad dream, a birthday, or that moment where we barely opened our eyes as our father's carried us off to bed. Yet for our parents those years hold the most valuable memories. Memories of us from a time when we were perfect, innocent, and needed them the most.

" Who is it that loves me and will love me forever with an affection which no
chance, no misery, no crime of mine can do away? — It is you, my mother."--
Thomas Carlyle

Now, our lives are our own. We make our choices. Some stayed, some left. Many of us, myself included, have families of our own. Our lives branch out infinitely, splitting our focus and our priorities to ensure continued growth. We try our best to make sure we work toward a positive future, while not relegating our past to time forgotten. Trying to remember family and old friends, while raising families and making new friends, is never an easy thing.

"I think my life began with waking up and loving my mother's face."-- George
Eliot

All the while, our mother's one focus in life was to ensure that our happiness in all things preceded her own. Even in the countless situations where she knew the outcome of our naivety, she watched knowingly, giving us the chance to learn from our mistakes.

"Making the decision to have a child-it's momentous. It is to decide forever to
have your heart go walking around outside your body." --Elizabeth Stone

Truth be told, they aren't always perfect. I've lost many a fight to the trump card of motherhood, many a fight that under any other circumstances I would win. At the end of the day there are few things I wouldn't do once she plays the mother card.

"Of all the rights of women, the greatest is to be a mother." -- Lin Yutang

Now some may not fall so easily in to this honored category. Some may be unknown to us, some have passed, and some seem like they're out to ruin our lives. But love or hate, you are always hard pressed to identify someone in your life who has more to do with who you are than your mother, whether because of her or in spite of her.

"All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel Mother."-- Abraham Lincoln

So thanks Mom, and thanks to all mothers. Without you there would be no me. And since I'm pretty fond of this existence, I owe you quite a bit. Enjoy your day, it's the least we can do.

Sorry about the morning sickness,
Jimmy