For many of us, it is the most powerful form of love. It is unconditional. It is indestructible.
A mother’s love for her child is one of nature’s most unfathomable wonders.
As the world knows, every Mom thinks her son or daughter is the greatest. That belief will trump anything that challenges it – an embarrassing performance in a school play, bad exam results, rudeness, slovenliness, suspensions, expulsions, even crime.
No matter what offence you commit, what you look like, or what you say, you are virtually guaranteed the support of Mom.
She may see your imperfections, but she doesn’t judge you by them.
She is the one big buffer against social opprobrium and why we have such expressions as “only a mother could love him.”
It is also why – unfortunately – we tend to take mothers for granted. None of us has to work or earn her love.
Shamefully, sometimes we even take advantage of this, and say mean things we later regret.
How important it is, therefore, that society sets aside one day of the year when we show appreciation for mothers everywhere.
That day is Mother’s Day, which was marked last Sunday.
We hope everyone with a Mom found a way to make her feel special and cherished. That could have been by buying a card or flowers, or taking her out to dinner. It could have been by giving her breakfast in bed. Or it could have been through an extra big hug and the words “thank you, Mom!”
The origins of Mother’s Day date back to the annual spring festival the Greeks dedicated to maternal goddesses. Ancient Romans, too, celebrated a spring festival; it was called Hilaria and dedicated to a mother goddess, Cybele.
Over the years our image of a typical mother has evolved. Not so long ago we thought of an apron-wearing, cookie-baking Mom, with hands roughened by washing up and housework.
Nowadays we tend to think of someone responsible for at least half the family income, who sometimes takes work home with her.
However the image changes, one thing remains the same: that famous, unconditional love that is nature’s gift to us all.
Mothers are the best, and we know it.
After all, where would any of us be without a mother?
