there is no one like Mom

(my own dear mother)

All my life I have heard and read about the glory of motherhood.  I always believed it, of course, but I think it is just now that I'm catching small glimpes of the true glory of motherhood.

My good friend, mother of a three year old and twenty-nine weeks pregnant is spending her Mother's day in the hospital in pre-term labor. Despite her less than ideal circumstances she still has that expectant mother glow.  She is outstanding.

Outstanding mothers rarely make the history books.  They don't get thousands of hits on a YouTube video performing their daily mundane tasks.  They don't grace the cover of popular magazines with bags under their eyes.  They don't make appearances on Jay Leno because they have cleaned up bodily fluids from carpets, couches and underwear.

But the influence of an oustanding mother is worth something beyond this weeks biggest YouTube hit, the cover of People or todays talk show guest.  I don't need to say this, because the point is that an outstanding mother isn't looking for external recognition.

I'm so glad for my outstanding mother.  My mother-in-law is also an outstanding mother, as evidenced by my wonderful husband.  I am grateful for the examples of my sisters who are outstanding mothers.   My sisters-in-law will also, I have no doubt, in due time be outstanding mothers.  And I am grateful lastly for my good friends who are unselfish and outstanding mothers.

And I am ever so thankful today that I can have my shot at being an outstanding mother myself.

Backward, flow backward, O tide of the years!
I am so weary of toil and of tears, . . .
Tired of the hollow, the base, the untrue,
Mother, O mother, my heart calls for you! . . .


Over my heart, in the days that are flown,
No love like mother-love ever has shone; . . .
None like a mother can charm away pain
From the sick soul and the world-weary brain.


Slumber’s soft calms o’er my heavy lids creep;
Rock me to sleep, mother, rock me to sleep!
“Rock Me to Sleep” in The Family Library of Poetry and Song
-William Cullen Bryant