Happy Mother's Day

I wanted to take a moment to wish all of the wonderful mother's a beautiful day!  I would also like to share with you my experience, my feelings about my mom, as well as being a mom myself; what the word "Mom" means to me.

Our Mother's inspire, teach, love, mentor, critique, scold, support, prepare, inform, nurture, empathize with us and so very much more!  Our moms teach us, whether it be from love, fear or excitement, from the day we are born unto them.  Our moms offer us endless, never wavering, unconditional love from the day we are born.  No matter our age, their hearts and minds are always engaged and focused on us, their children, as their first priority.

I am fortunate myself in that I speak from direct experience; I have a mother who is God's blessing to me.  From day one she has been there for each and every step, whether direct or indirectly.  She has supported me in my dreams, always encouraging me.  She shows me the meaning of unconditional love on a daily basis.  No matter my life's current events, my mom is always within reach, whether in person or phone.  I have never felt alone.  I have never felt abandoned to life.  I have never been abandoned to life.  I have always been supported.

Now that I am a mom myself, my mothers role has evolved - not changed, as in her heart, no matter my age, I will always be her child.  It is an amazing experience for me, as a grown adult woman, to see my mom's mothering, nurturing ability from an observation point.  To see how, from the day they were born, though not of her body, rather her child's, her instinct to nurture and love kicked in just the same.

Having our roles not changing, but adapting, maturing and growing is an learning experience.  To see her, without question or pause, jump into her new role as not only a parent, but a grandparent, was a beautiful event to witness.  While embracing her new role as a grandparent, she supported me in my new role as a parent.  It has shown me that a mother's ability to love truly is endless.  She has continued her tradition, in that she is now a wonderful grandparent to her two beautiful grandchildren.

Observing her interactions with my children, I am able to experience a further life-changing event; I am able to see how to be a balanced, effective, loving parent from an observation standpoint.  For even though she is my children's grandparent, she still utilizes the same methods pulled from her heart and spirit that she did to be a parent to me.

One of the most important lessons I carry with me and utilize daily, is my mom has taught me how to be a mom myself.  I have always highly valued and respected my Mom, but with motherhood I have had an enlightening.  I now see why she did this or that.  I now see why she may have said something I chose to disagree with.  Being a mother is a full-time, never-ending, always worrying, all-consuming and sometimes thankless job.  I did not understand then; I now know.

My mother has given me the gift of life, that she nurtures with all her heart to this day.  She has given me the gift of understanding, compassion and empathy, that I remember to utilize everyday in my interactions with others.  She has given me the gift of confidence, that I carry within me through my life.  She has given me the gift of knowledge, as I do my very best to put to action daily.

Of most importance - she has given me the gift of her life.   She is as dedicated to me today as she has been the last forty-four years of my/her life.  I thank God daily that I was born to her, as many have not been as fortunate.

On this one day, when we officially recognize the contributions our mother's make in society, I say this - while this one day may be named after you, you are in our hearts and thoughts all the remaining three-hundred sixty-four days of the year.

God Bless all of you and Happy Mother's Day!

Shelbie  =)

   My Mom, her grandchildren and her Daughter, me. You can see her heart in her smile.