This is for the mothers who have
sat up all night with sick toddlers
in their arms, wiping up barf laced
with Oscar Mayer wieners and
cherry Kool-Aid saying, 'It's okay
honey, Mommy's here.'
Who have sat in rocking chairs for
hours on end soothing crying
babies who can't be comforted.
This is for all the mothers who
show up at work with spit-up in
their hair and milk stains on their
blouses and diapers in their purse.
For all the mothers who run
carpools and make cookies and
sew Halloween costumes. And all
the mothers who DON'T.
This is for the mothers who gave
birth to babies they'll never see.
And the mothers who took those
babies and gave them homes.
This is for the mothers whose
priceless art collections are
hanging on their refrigerator doors.
And for all the mothers who froze
their buns on metal bleachers at
football or soccer games instead
of watching from the warmth of
their cars.
And that when their kids asked,
'Did you see me, Mom?' they
could say, 'Of course, I wouldn't
have missed it for the world,'
and mean it.
This is for all the mothers who
yell at their kids in the grocery
store and swat them in despair
when they stomp their feet and
scream for ice cream before dinner.
And for all the mothers who
count to ten instead, but realize
how child abuse happens.
This is for all the mothers who
sat down with their children
and explained all about making
babies. And for all the
(grand)mothers who wanted to,
but just couldn't find the words.
This is for all the mothers who go
hungry, so their children can eat.
For all the mothers who read
'Goodnight, Moon' twice a night
for a year. And then read it again,
'Just one more time.'
This is for all the mothers who
taught their children to tie their
shoelaces before they started
school. And for all the mothers
who opted for Velcro instead.
This is for all the mothers who
teach their sons to cook and
their daughters to sink a jump shot.
This is for every mother whose
head turns automatically when a
little voice calls 'Mom?' in a
crowd, even though they know
their own offspring are at home
-- or even away at college --
or have their own families.
This is for all the mothers who
sent their kids to school with
stomach aches, assuring them
they'd be just FINE once they
got there, only to get calls from
the school nurse an hour later
asking them to please pick them
up. Right away.
This is for mothers whose
children have gone astray, who
can't find the words to reach them.
For all the mothers who bite their
lips until they bleed when their
14 year olds dye their hair green.
For all the mothers of the victims
of recent school shootings, and
the mothers of those who did
the shooting.
For the mothers of the survivors,
and the mothers who sat in front
of their TVs in horror, hugging
their child who just came home
from school, safely.
This is for all the mothers who
taught their children to be
peaceful, and now pray they
come home safely from a war.
What makes a good mother
anyway? Is it patience?
Compassion? Broad hips?
The ability to nurse a baby, cook
dinner, and sew a button on a
shirt, all at the same time?
Or is it in her heart?
Is it the ache she feels when she
watches her son or daughter
disappear down the street,
walking to school alone for the
very first time?
The jolt that takes her from sleep
to dread, from bed to crib at 2 A.M.
to put her hand on the back of
a sleeping baby?
The panic, years later, that comes
again at 2 A.M. when she just
wants to hear their key in the
door and know they are safe
again in her home?
Or the need to flee from wherever
she is and hug her child when
she hears news of a fire, a car
accident, a child dying?
The emotions of motherhood are
universal and so our thoughts are
for young mothers stumbling
through diaper changes and
sleep deprivation....
And for mature mothers
learning to let go.
For working mothers and
stay-at-home mothers. Single
mothers and married mothers.
Mothers with money,
mothers without.
This is for you all. For all of us...
Hang in there. In the end we can
only do the best we can. Tell
them every day that we love them.
And pray and never stop being a mother....
sat up all night with sick toddlers
in their arms, wiping up barf laced
with Oscar Mayer wieners and
cherry Kool-Aid saying, 'It's okay
honey, Mommy's here.'
Who have sat in rocking chairs for
hours on end soothing crying
babies who can't be comforted.
This is for all the mothers who
show up at work with spit-up in
their hair and milk stains on their
blouses and diapers in their purse.
For all the mothers who run
carpools and make cookies and
sew Halloween costumes. And all
the mothers who DON'T.
This is for the mothers who gave
birth to babies they'll never see.
And the mothers who took those
babies and gave them homes.
This is for the mothers whose
priceless art collections are
hanging on their refrigerator doors.
And for all the mothers who froze
their buns on metal bleachers at
football or soccer games instead
of watching from the warmth of
their cars.
And that when their kids asked,
'Did you see me, Mom?' they
could say, 'Of course, I wouldn't
have missed it for the world,'
and mean it.
This is for all the mothers who
yell at their kids in the grocery
store and swat them in despair
when they stomp their feet and
scream for ice cream before dinner.
And for all the mothers who
count to ten instead, but realize
how child abuse happens.
This is for all the mothers who
sat down with their children
and explained all about making
babies. And for all the
(grand)mothers who wanted to,
but just couldn't find the words.
This is for all the mothers who go
hungry, so their children can eat.
For all the mothers who read
'Goodnight, Moon' twice a night
for a year. And then read it again,
'Just one more time.'
This is for all the mothers who
taught their children to tie their
shoelaces before they started
school. And for all the mothers
who opted for Velcro instead.
This is for all the mothers who
teach their sons to cook and
their daughters to sink a jump shot.
This is for every mother whose
head turns automatically when a
little voice calls 'Mom?' in a
crowd, even though they know
their own offspring are at home
-- or even away at college --
or have their own families.
This is for all the mothers who
sent their kids to school with
stomach aches, assuring them
they'd be just FINE once they
got there, only to get calls from
the school nurse an hour later
asking them to please pick them
up. Right away.
This is for mothers whose
children have gone astray, who
can't find the words to reach them.
For all the mothers who bite their
lips until they bleed when their
14 year olds dye their hair green.
For all the mothers of the victims
of recent school shootings, and
the mothers of those who did
the shooting.
For the mothers of the survivors,
and the mothers who sat in front
of their TVs in horror, hugging
their child who just came home
from school, safely.
This is for all the mothers who
taught their children to be
peaceful, and now pray they
come home safely from a war.
What makes a good mother
anyway? Is it patience?
Compassion? Broad hips?
The ability to nurse a baby, cook
dinner, and sew a button on a
shirt, all at the same time?
Or is it in her heart?
Is it the ache she feels when she
watches her son or daughter
disappear down the street,
walking to school alone for the
very first time?
The jolt that takes her from sleep
to dread, from bed to crib at 2 A.M.
to put her hand on the back of
a sleeping baby?
The panic, years later, that comes
again at 2 A.M. when she just
wants to hear their key in the
door and know they are safe
again in her home?
Or the need to flee from wherever
she is and hug her child when
she hears news of a fire, a car
accident, a child dying?
The emotions of motherhood are
universal and so our thoughts are
for young mothers stumbling
through diaper changes and
sleep deprivation....
And for mature mothers
learning to let go.
For working mothers and
stay-at-home mothers. Single
mothers and married mothers.
Mothers with money,
mothers without.
This is for you all. For all of us...
Hang in there. In the end we can
only do the best we can. Tell
them every day that we love them.
And pray and never stop being a mother....
