As I begin my day, this day set aside to celebrate Mothers, I found myself reflecting not only on my Mom or my adopted moms, but what a mother’s love truly means to me. I paused to think of the mothers I have had the privilege of knowing, or some even only capturing a mere casual observance of, and I found a new inspiration from these women.

The mothers that inspire me are not perfect. My mom inspired me in so very many ways, and yet I witnessed tears of sorrow fall down her cheeks over beartbreak feeling she had failed in ways as a mother….but isn’t that proof itself of the loving mom she was. That she cared enough of others, her children, to want to have sheltered them and allowed them to fly and live happy lives, the gift of a childhood. Her sorrow at being human is, I will be so bold to say, something that we each feel when we know we have done (or not done) something that causes hurt to another.

And the Moms that I celebrate and inspire me today are women of many varieties, some moms that clearly enjoy their children and some that aren’t moms in the traditional sense but lovingly take others under their wings. It is the mother’s love that I celebrate today, that of loving care, protection, celebration of others joys and the comforting embrace to shelter them from life’s hurts and fears. It is the love of encouraging play and growth, all the while knowing that they are teaching the very same they want to hold tight how to leave and flourish independently. I celebrate the overwhelming love that radiates from the heart watching a child or beloved animal sleep, and I celebrate the strength, wisdom, gentleness and force to be reckoned with that mothers of all kinds hold within them.

Today I celebrate you, dear reader, man or woman, mother in traditional sense or as one who cares deeply for others.

Wishing you the opportunity to both feel and be a mother’s love today.

With my very own mother’s love for you,

Glenna