This is for the mothers who have sat upall night with sick toddlers in
their arms,wiping up barf laced with Oscar Mayerwieners and cherry
Kool-Aid saying,'It's okay honey, Mommy's here.'Who have sat in rocking
chairs for hours on endsoothing crying babies who can't be
comforted.This is for all the mothers who show up atwork with spit-up
in their hair and milk stainson their blouses and diapers in their
purse.For all the mothers who run carpools andmake cookies and sew
Halloween costumes.And all the mothers who DON'T.This is for the
mothers who gave birth to babies they'll never see. And the motherswho
took those babies and gave them homes.This is for the mothers whose
priceless artcollections are hanging on theirrefrigerator doors.And for
all the mothers who froze their bunson metal bleachers at
softball,football or soccer games insteadof watching from the warmth of
their cars.And that when their kids asked, 'Did you see me, Mom?'they
could say, 'Of course, I wouldn'thave missed it for the world,' and
mean it.This is for all the mothers who yell at their kidsin the
grocery store and swat them in despair whenthey stomp their feet and
scream for ice cream before dinner.And for all the mothers who count to
ten instead,but realize how child abuse happens.This is for all the
mothers who sat down withtheir children and explained all about
makingbabies. And for all the (grand)mothers whowanted to, but just
couldn't find the words.This is for all the mothers who gohungry, so
their children can eat.For all the mothers who read 'Goodnight,Moon'
twice a night for a year. Andthenread it again, 'Just one more
time.'This is for all the mothers who taughttheir children to tie their
shoelaces beforethey started school. And for all the motherswho opted
for Velcro instead.This is for all the mothers who teach their sonsto
cook and their daughters to sink a jump shot.This is for every mother
whose head turnsautomatically when a little voice calls 'Mom?'in a
crowd, even though they know theirown offspring are at home -- or even
awayat college -- or have their own families.This is for all the
mothers who sent their kidsto school with stomach aches, assuring
themthey'd be just FINE once they got there, onlyto get calls from the
school nurse an hour laterasking them to please pick them up. Right
away.This is for mothers whose children have goneastray, who can't find
the words to reach them.For all the mothers who bite their lips
untilthey bleed when their 14 year olds dye their hair green.For all
the mothers of the victims ofrecent school shootings, and the mothersof
those who did the shooting.For the mothers of the survivors,and the
mothers who sat in front of their TVsin horror, hugging their childwho
just came home from school, safely.This is for all the mothers who
taught theirchildren to be peaceful, and now praythey come home safely
from a war.What makes a good mother anyway?Is it patience? Compassion?
Broad hips?The ability to nurse a baby, cook dinner, andsew a button on
a shirt, all at the same time?Or is it in her heart?Is it the ache she
feels when shewatches her son or daughter disappeardown the street,
walking to school alonefor the very first time?The jolt that takes her
from sleep todread, from bed to crib at 2 A.M. toputher hand on the
back of a sleeping baby?The panic, years later, that comes againat 2
A.M. when she just wants to heartheir key in the door and know theyare
safe again in her home?Or the need to flee from wherever she isand hug
her child when she hears newsof a fire, a car accident, a child
dying?The emotions of motherhood areuniversal and so our thoughts are
foryoung mothers stumbling through diaperchanges and sleep
deprivation....And for mature mothers learning to let go.For working
mothers and stay-at-home mothers.Single mothers and married
mothers.Mothers with money, mothers without.This is for you all. For
all of us...Hang in there. In the end we canonly do the best we can.
Tell themevery day that we love them. And prayand never stop being a
mother....'Home iswhat catches you whenyou fall - and we all
fall.'Please pass this to a wonderful mother you know!

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Posted By VIKIDIDIT to THE ARKANSAS WOMAN at 5/08/2008 11:30:00 PM