Mother: A Pure and Perfect Love

“A mother’s love for her child is like nothing else in the world. It knows no law, no pity, it dares all things and crushes down remorselessly all that stands in its path.” – Agatha Christie

I have always loved Mother’s Day. Even as a child I enjoyed getting dressed up and going to church with my mother and grandmother. They would wear their Mother’s Day corsages, red for my mom to represent her living mother and white for my grandmother as her mother had passed (unfortunately, this seems to be a dying tradition). Now that I am a mother, I enjoy going to church with my family, having a nice dinner afterwards (that someone else has prepared!), taking time to honor the special women in my life, and basically being able to do as I please for the day.

One day is not nearly enough to thank mothers (and grandmothers) for all they do. I watched my mother and grandmother sacrifice for me many times, more than I can count. I saw the worry (and sometimes tears) in their eyes as they watched me make independent choices, leave home for the first time, and struggle with problems that they could not solve for me. At the time, I didn’t quite get it, but with children of my own (now both teenagers), I am beginning to understand. As a mother, your heart breaks when you have to watch powerlessly as your child deals with disappointment, pain and tough decisions. I have always done my best to make sure my children’s lives were as carefree as possible; however, there are some things that even your mother cannot do for you. As hard as it is, at some point we have to start letting our babies make decisions for themselves and learn from their mistakes. We can only hope and trust that the values we have instilled in them along the way will lead them to make good choices. They may fail, they may make mistakes, and if they do, as mothers, we’ll be there to pick them up and encourage them to try again.

The unconditional love of a mother is like nothing else. I loved both of my children before they were born, and I will love them until I take my last breath. There is nothing that could ever change my love for them. I too was loved this way by my mother and grandmother, and I know that just like my children are to me, I will always be perfect in their eyes. It is always comforting to know that there is at least one person in this world who thinks we can do no wrong—a mother’s love does this.

Sadly, not everyone has the ideal relationship with their mother. Having a child doesn’t automatically make one a good mother. On the other hand, there are also childless women who are wonderful nurturers. Hopefully we have all had someone in our lives who believed in us when no one else did—someone who showed us unconditional, unselfish love. If this is the case for you, be sure and honor that person (or persons) this Mother’s Day!