For All The Mothers

**AmyBoz** · 05-10-2006, 11:40 AM

> This is for the mothers who have sat up all night with sick toddlers
> in their arms, wiping up barf laced with Oscar Mayer wieners and
cherry
> Kool-Aid saying, "It's okay honey, Mommy's here."
>
> Who have sat in rocking chairs for hours on end soothing crying babies
> who can't be comforted.
>
> This is for all the mothers who show up at work with spit-up in their
> hair and milk stains on their blouses and diapers in their purse.
>
> For all the mothers who run carpools and make 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 mothers who took those babies and gave them homes.
>
> This is for the mothers whose priceless art collections are hanging on
> their refrigerator doors.
>
> And for all the mothers who froze their buns on metal bleachers at
> football or soccer games instead of watching from the warmth of their
cars,
> so that when their kids asked, "Did you see me, Mom?" they could say,
> "Of course, I wouldn't have missed it for the world," and mean it.
>
> This is for all the mothers who yell at their kids in the grocery
> store and swat them in despair when they 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 with their children and
> explained all about making babies. And for all the (grand)mothers who
> wanted to, but just couldn't find the words.
>
> This is for all the mothers who go hungry, so their children can eat.
>
> For all the mothers who read "Goodnight, Moon" twice a night for a
> year. And then read it again. "Just one more time."
>
> This is for all the mothers who taught their children to tie their
> shoelaces before they started school. And for all the mothers who
> opted for Velcro instead.
>
> This is for all the mothers who teach their sons to cook and their
> daughters to sink a jump shot.
>
> This is for every mother whose head turns automatically when a little
> voice calls "Mom?" in a crowd, even though they know their own
> offspring are at home -- or even away at college.
>
> This is for all the mothers who sent their kids to school with stomach
> aches assuring them they'd be just FINE once they got there, only to
> get calls from the school nurse an hour later asking them to please
> pick them up. Right away.
>
> This is for mothers whose children have gone astray, who can't find
> the words to reach them.
>
> This is for all the step-mothers who raised another woman's child or
> children, and gave their time, attention, and love... sometimes
> totally unappreciated!
>
> For all the mothers who bite their lips until they bleed when their 14
> year olds dye their hair green.
>
> For all the mothers of the victims of recent school shootings, and the
> mothers of those who did the shooting.
>
> For the mothers of the survivors, and the mothers who sat in front of
> their TVs in horror, hugging their child who just came home from
> school, safely.
>
> This is for all the mothers who taught their children to be peaceful,
> and now pray they 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, and sew a button on a shirt,
> all at the same time?
>
> Or is it in her heart?
>
> Is it the ache you feel when you watch your son or daughter disappear
> down the street, walking to school alone for the very first time?
>
>
> The jolt that takes you from sleep to dread, from bed to crib at 2
> A.M. to put your hand on the back of a sleeping baby?
>
> The panic, years later, that comes again at 2 A.M. when you just want
> to hear their key in the door and know they are safe again in your
> home?
>
> Or the need to flee from wherever you are and hug your child when you
> hear news of a fire, a car accident, a child dying?
>
> The emotions of motherhood are universal and so our thoughts are for
> young mothers stumbling through diaper changes and sleep deprivation...
> And 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 can only do the best we can.
>
> Tell them every day that we love them.
>
> And pray