Mother’s Day is the peak day for long-distance phone calls and one of the busiest days of the year for restaurants. It is also the second highest gift-giving holiday in the U.S. These statistics are vivid reminders of a mother’s power of influence, not only in the home but in the nation.
I believe our Creator intended for mothers to give form, substance and shape to our lives. Poet William Ross Wallace was correct when he wrote, “The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world.” President Abraham Lincoln, who led our nation through one of its darkest periods, said, “I remember my mother’s prayers and they have always followed me. They have clung to me all my life.” The majority of us can probably make the same statement about our own mother.
Each Mother’s Day, I fondly remember my own mother who left behind a legacy of love, godly character and integrity that will influence the Davis family for generations. There are many things I miss about her and I am grateful that in a world of abused and abandoned children, I had a mother who loved me, nurtured me and taught me right from wrong. I miss her friendship, her strength, her humor and her love for my children. Through her example I learned what a dedicated parent and friend looked like.
As writer Tenneva Jordan described his mom, “She was the type of person who seeing there were only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announced she never did care for pie.”
In my opinion, simply having children does not necessarily make a woman a mom any more than a man fathering a child makes him a dad. There are certain elements besides simple biology that must be present to gain the precious title of mom from a child. I believe true motherhood springs from a heart of unconditional love and self-sacrifice for the welfare of her family and society. True motherhood is patient, gentle, attentive, involved in her children’s lives, a teacher, a disciplinarian, compassionate, generous, kind, forgiving and many other adjectives too numerous to list. The family is the foundation of society and through their influence on their children mothers set and keep the culture. A mother with these attributes should be treasured and honored by her husband and children.
Each mom goes through the same journey with her children, from the “terrible twos” to the “techy teens.” But their experiences are not all the same. I read about one mom who kept noticing a sticky substance in her little boy’s pants pockets when she did the laundry. Closer inspection determined that it was caused by globs of jam. When the mother questioned her son he said that he and his friends had discovered that it helped them grip the monkey bars without slipping. He also added that it made for “a good snack later.” Being a mother in today’s society can be a daunting task. She faces the challenge of helping her child navigate the pitfalls of peer pressure, self-esteem, desire to fit in, academic pressures and a myriad of other challenges — from the dangers of social media to eating disorders. She has the most intense love for her child, but it’s this same love that helps the child grow away from her … and become fully independent.
Being a mom is a full-time job! But the pay and fringe benefits can be enormous. As Mildred Vermont noted, “Being a mother is one of the highest salaried jobs in the world since the payment is pure love.” The child she held so close from birth will hold her in his or her heart forever. On Mother’s Day we will celebrate with cards, gifts, flowers and dinner. But I believe that most mothers will tell you that what they want most is a little bit of your time; time to just sit and talk and to laugh over childhood memories. Join with me on Mother’s Day in thanking God for those gracious ladies whose influence is immeasurable and whose value to her children, to her husband and to her community cannot be calculated. As mayor, I appreciate each of you and your contribution to Bradley County’s quality of life. You hold the most precious title of all … “Mother.”
