Abraham Lincoln once said, "All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother." In this quote, Lincoln summed up beautifully the role mothers can play in the lives of their children. Not only do mothers give life through nine months of sacrifice, but they answer difficult questions, solve problems, offer advice, and love unconditionally. No other member of society is more accomplished in her ability to make a profound difference and create lasting change in the lives of those she serves than a mother. There are many truths about mothers. Here are five that stand out to me.
1.
Mothers are the glue that holds families together
In daily life, it is true that mothers are the schedule keepers. They prepare meals, dress children, pack lunches, chauffeur regularly, schedule doctor appointments, shop for groceries, run errands, clean the house, wipe away tears, help with homework, solve problems, and listen intently. But this is not all mothers do to keep their families together. In times of trial, it is the strength of a mother that buoys up her husband and children, it is the faith of a mother that keeps them believing, and it is the love of a mother that keeps her family connected. Amos Bronson Alcott said it best when he said, "Where there is a mother in the home, matters go well."
2.
Mothers have the power to fix what is broken
Today's society is riddled with discord. There is corruption in government, violence in schools, and chaos all around us. It is the mothers of society who have the power and ability to fix what is broken, and it begins in the home. Mothers are the mentors to society's leaders. They are influential in bringing about change, whether it is a woman's influence on her husband, or a mother's influence on her child, the power lies in the hands of the mother. It is a great power, and the power to make a difference. Harold MacMillan said, "No man succeeds without a good woman behind him. Wife or mother, if it is both, he is twice blessed, indeed."
3.
Mothers write the future on the hearts of their children
Henry Ward Beecher said, "The mother's heart is the child's schoolroom." If a mother is filled with faith, her child will be filled with faith. If a mother is charitable, her child will be charitable. As a child watches the actions of his mother, those actions become lessons written upon the child's heart. They begin to mold and shape the very character of that child. A mother's relationship with her child influences both his behavior and his character traits. It gives him a blueprint of who he will become. To quote Emerson, simply said, "Men are what their mothers made them."
4.
A mother's sacrifice is Earth's greatest blessing
No person living on this Earth came into being without the sacrifice of some mother somewhere. From the beginning of time, mothers have sacrificed the discomforts of pregnancy and pains of childbirth, the sleepless nights rocking a newborn babe, and the hope of ever again eating their own warm meal. They have sacrificed schooling, careers, advancement, worldly achievements, travel, money, possessions, and accolades. But in all of their sacrifice, it has not been in vain. Every inventor, leader, philosopher, writer, artist and teacher all began their lives in the arms of their mother. As George Eliot said, "Life began with waking up and loving my mother's face." We all woke up to our mothers.
5.
A mother's love is our closest glimpse of heaven
Rudyard Kipling said, "God could not be everywhere, and therefore he made mothers." A mother's love is an enduring love. It is a love without bounds, without conditions, and without end. It is the closest thing we have to God's love for his children. When we understand the depth of love that a mother has for her child and her willingness to sacrifice all that she has for the happiness and life of her child, we come to know just how much we are loved by God. If an imperfect mother can love so deeply and completely, imagine the immense love of a perfect Father in Heaven. A mother's love is the first taste a child has of his heavenly home. Our mother's love often reminds us that there really is a heaven, after all. In the words of Samuel Coleridge, "The love of a mother is the veil of a softer light between the heart and the Heavenly Father."
It is true that mothers have a unique role in our society. In a time where our culture would disparage the role of a mother and downplay her importance, let us understand her true value and recognize the sacrifice mothers have made for all of us. Mothers are central to our society. Their influence is immeasurable. Their strength carries us all. Let us value them as a pearl of great price in a time when society is dwindling, and give to them the admiration they deserve. For we need more mothers today who are willing to sacrifice for the betterment of us all; mothers ready and able to teach their children those values and characteristics that will bring our society the hope for which we've all been waiting. For our future truly does depend upon the sacrifice and love of a mother.
