In Honor of Mothers

#mothersday #mothers #maternity

In the United States, it takes place on the second Sunday of the month of May. It is the same in Switzerland, Denmark, Finland, Turkey, and many other nations. In Mexico and several regions of Latin America, May 10th is the day, and in Thailand it is celebrated on August 12th—the queen’s birthday. The holiday in question, of course, is Mother’s Day, the day on which we celebrate women for the pivotal roles they play in our lives.

By United States standards, Mother's Day is relatively new, having only gained official recognition in 1914, but historically the celebration of women as the bringers of life can be traced back to ancient Greece, in which Rhea, the mother of the Gods was praised in elaborate ceremonies. And though today the specific traditions under which the holiday is celebrated vary widely throughout cultures, the central tenet is the same: to honor women for their indispensable gifts to humanity.

As mothers, women form a bond with their children that begins long before delivery. It is at once their joy and their burden to be the bearers of our young, and it is they alone who must endure the rigors of childbirth. It is often in the arms of our mothers that we feel our first kisses, hear our first words, and receive our first nutrition. It is through the unconditional love of a mother that many of us experience our first glimpse at the sovereignty of God as well. They are our protectors, our providers, and our teachers.

We are born of love; Love is our mother.

-Rumi

A mother's intuition uniquely positions her to understand the needs of her children. Furthermore, she is able to glean her children's strengths and weaknesses with special acuity, and guide them appropriately. It is the joy of every mother to lovingly bestow upon her children the privilege of counsel toward realizing their full potential. She is there to provide her unwavering support in times of success and adversity alike, as only a mother can.

Inasmuch as the encouragement of a mother can propel a child to great heights, a mother's scorn can instill lessons in her young that are not soon to be forgotten. With a stern but loving deftness as only they can apply, mothers as disciplinarians teach us right from wrong, and correct us when we go astray. The most valuable lessons are said to be learned at the knee of one's mother, a colloquialism denoting not only age, but proximity to a watchful maternal eye, and rightfully so, as it is with equal parts grace and stringency that a good mother informs the behavior of her children.

Absent the benefit of a stable maternal figure, a child is statistically likely to have difficulty connecting to adults other than his/her father. Children lacking the benefit of the unique emotional support of a mother are also most more likely to become violent and develop antisocial traits. Low adaptability, low stress tolerance, attention seeking behaviors, and substance abuse also have higher rates of occurrence among children who are denied strong maternal influences. Downstream of these potentially grievous effects lie problems for society at large, in the form of increased rates of violent crimes. This is especially troubling, given the rising prominence of single-parent households.

Fortunately, the indomitable maternal quality intrinsic to women is not exclusive to those who have given birth, and neither is the scope of a mother's love limited to her own children. Women who do not become mothers in the traditional sense may embrace motherlike roles and help with the development of society in myriad ways. As natural educators, they may adopt professional teaching posts and excel at guiding young minds toward greater futures. A woman's natural empathy can render her a thoughtful and powerful leader, as well. The manifestations of maternal qualities therefore have the potential to extend beyond one's immediate family. Anyone fortunate enough to have encountered a female figure in his/her life whose influence was akin to that of a second a second mother will have recognized in her the nurturing, compassionate, and pedagogic qualities that so define the finest women among us. Such women need not be our blood relatives to impact our lives with their matronly guidance in profoundly meaningful ways.

Just as it is a blessing to have a mother, so is it a blessing to encounter a woman who chooses to share her knowledge, intuition, and empathy with the world at large. Thus it is apt for cultures to designate a holiday to celebrate women for their unique gifts and the tremendous sacrifices they make. But as with all commemorative holidays, we need not limit our appreciation to a single day; rather we should live at all times with a conscious gratitude for the life-bringers, the educators, the protectors, and the nurturers that are women.

We quite literally could not live without them.

It may be possible to gild pure gold, but who can make his mother more beautiful?

-Mahatma Gandhi