It’s Mother’s Day — and, while I, for one, think EVERY day should be mother’s day since most of the moms I know are so amazing, I am grateful for this simple holiday each year. If nothing else, despite the fact that the holiday has become so commercialized (second only to Christmas in the gift-giving department!), it gives us a chance to remember the importance of mothers, the value of mothers’ work, the beauty of mothers’ love and the simplicity of the role of mothers in their children’s lives.
My thinking has always been (based on the old Chinese proverb) that a mother’s role is to give her children roots and wings — I hope I’ve done that with my two grown children, both of whom have taken successful flight on wings of their own. And, I believe that this year, they both have reminded me that Mother’s Day is not just about the flowers and cards (the third biggest card-sending holiday of the year!), it’s about substance.
My daughter (who’s about to get a double Masters at U of Chicago in Early Childhood Education) made a contribution to DonorsChoose.org for me, to fund a class project. My son, who just this week moved to Washington, D.C. to work for CNN, sent me the following message, delivered by Michelle Obama at the White House and who is, in my mind, one of the most fabulous mothers I know:
“There’s no way that I could ever fully measure all that my own mommy has done for me. This is my mommy (applause, shot of Michelle Obama’s mother, Marian Robinson). This woman who tries to take absolutely no credit for who I am for some reason. She is my rock. She has pulled me up when I’ve stumbled. She’s pulled me back when I’ve run out of line, talking a little too much, she’ll snap me up. She really does push me to be the best woman that I can be. Truly. As a professional and as a mother and as a friend. And she has always, always, always been there for me, and as our family has grown she’s managed to expand her love for all of us. And raising our girls in the White House with my mom (Michelle Obama starts to fight back tears) I’m not going to do this — it’s a beautiful experience. And the opportunity to have three generations living in the White House, it’s beautiful. And I’m pretty sure the President’s happy about it too (laughter).”
Something tells me that Malia and Sasha will be saying the same thing someday about their mother.
And, I hope — if I’ve done my job as a mother at all well — my grandchildren will be saying the same about my daughter Samantha as well.
~Anne-Marie
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