Being a Mother
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We are sitting at lunch when my daughter
casually mentions that she and her
husband are thinking of “starting a family.”
“We’re taking a survey,” she says, half-joking.
“Do you think I should have a baby?”
“It will change your life,” I say, carefully
keeping my tone neutral.
“I know,” she says, “no more sleeping in on
weekends, no more spontaneous vacations….”
But that is not what I meant at all. I look
at my daughter, trying to decide what to tell her.
I want her to know what she will never learn in
childbirth classes. I want to tell her that the
physical wounds of child bearing will heal,
but that becoming a mother will leave her with an
emotional wound so raw that she will forever
be vulnerable.
I consider warning her that she will never
again read a newspaper without asking
“What if that had been MY child?” That
every plane crash, every house fire will haunt her.
That when she sees pictures of starving
children, she will wonder if anything could
be worse than watching your child die.
I look at her carefully manicured nails and
stylish suit and think that no matter how
sophisticated she is, becoming a mother will
reduce her to the primitive level of a bear
protecting her cub.
That an urgent call of “Mom!” will cause her
to drop a souffle or her best crystal without
a moment’s hesitation.
I feel I should warn her that no matter how
many years she has invested in her career,
she will be professionally derailed by motherhood.
She might arrange for childcare, but one day
she will be going into an important business
meeting and she will think of her baby’s sweet
smell. She will have to use every ounce of her
discipline to keep from running home,
just to make sure her baby is all right.
I want my daughter to know that everyday
decisions will no longer be routine.
That a five year old boy’s desire to go to
the men’s room rather than the women’s at
McDonald’s will become a major dilemma.
That right there, in the midst of clattering trays
and screaming children, issues of independence and
gender identity will be weighed against the
prospect that a child molester may be lurking in
that restroom.
However decisive she may be at the office,
she will second-guess herself constantly as a mother.
Looking at my attractive daughter, I want to
assure her that eventually she will shed the
pounds of pregnancy, but she will never feel the
same about herself. That her life, now so important,
will be of less value to her once she has a child.
That she would give it up in a moment to save her
offspring, but will also begin to hope for more
years– not to accomplish her own dreams, but to watch
her child accomplish theirs.
I want her to know that a cesarean scar or
shiny stretch marks will become badges of honor.
My daughter’s relationship with her husband will
change, but not in the way she thinks. I wish she could
understand how much more you can love a man who is
careful to powder the baby or who never hesitates to
play with his child. I think she should know
that she will fall in love with him again for
reasons she would now find very unromantic.
I wish my daughter could sense the bond she
will feel with women throughout history who
have tried to stop war, prejudice and drunk driving.
I hope she will understand why I can think
rationally about most issues, but become
temporarily insane when I discuss the threat of
nuclear war to my children’s future.
I want to describe to my daughter the
exhilaration of seeing your child learn to ride a bike.
I want to capture for her the belly laugh of a baby
who is touching the soft fur of a dog or a cat for
the first time.
I want her to taste the joy that is so real, it
actually hurts.
My daughter’s quizzical look makes me realize
that tears have formed in my eyes.
“You’ll never regret it,” I finally say.
Then I reach across the table, squeeze my
daughter’s hand and offer a silent prayer for her,
and for me, and for all of the mere mortal women
who stumble their way into this most wonderful of callings.
This blessed gift from God . . . that of being a Mother.
© Author Unknown
Music © Author Unknown
carole
May 12, 2014 @ 12:14 pm
thanks Carole very true,
Imtiaz
May 9, 2014 @ 8:59 pm
You are really fortunate that you have all your children grown up in the way you desired your best still there are many people left who may have not have been able to put their children in the desired track they wanted so we need to pray for them too.
malini
May 10, 2012 @ 12:07 am
” A mother’s heart is so beautiful,
It shows the expression of God’s love…”..
God bless all The Mothers out there…..
Danyale Reese
May 8, 2012 @ 10:38 pm
HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY TO YOU – AND MANY MORE BIRTHDAY’S, LOVE YOU
Elizabeth M. Wright
May 8, 2011 @ 4:34 pm
I SMILE WHENEVER I THINK OF ONE OF MY THREE CHILDREN… I HAVE BEEN BLESSED BY GOD…
WHEN I SEE A SMALL CHILD, I AUTOMATICALLY REMEMBER WHEN MINE WERE THAT AGE AND SMILE AGAIN…
THANK YOU ALMIGHTY GOD FOR BLESSING ME…
Blessings… Elizabeth W.
TO ALL OF YOU MOM’S READING THIS === HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY !!!
sin.sin
May 8, 2011 @ 11:41 am
without mothers we will not be here..but then their are mothers that are not mother at all. some mothers gives their children.away…and dont want anything to do with them..some mothers walk out and never to return…
Amira
October 18, 2010 @ 8:29 am
After readin this poem,there was tears in my eyes, because every single word of it was true.
Nazifa Iddi
June 9, 2010 @ 4:37 am
Our children are blessings from God.
Pat Van De Hey
May 8, 2010 @ 12:10 pm
Motherhood is the most cherished career a woman have. She will expierence every emotion there is in this world. She will cry, laugh, mourn, smile, frown, feel anger, but love will always be the strongest feeling she will have. No one but a Mother can experince this feeling! Happy Mother’s Day to all Mothers1
Rosypetal
May 6, 2010 @ 11:47 pm
very enjoy this wonderful writing!!!
it really writes so well! with such deep emotion and passion of being a mother!
very touching and moving to heart and soul!!!
may all the mother have wonderful mother’s day holiday!!!
Joyce
May 6, 2010 @ 5:01 pm
THE TEARS ARE STREAMING DOWN MY FACE. THIS IS VERY BEAUTIFUL AND REACHES THE VERY SOUL OF A MOTHER. I LOVE MY 4 ANGELS SO MUCH THAT I CAN’T EXPLAIN IT BUT THIS ARTICLE DID IN MANY WAYS. I ALSO LOVE MY SIX GRANDANGELS THE SAME.
Patricia Van Lone
May 6, 2010 @ 4:39 pm
This is really lovely!!
Dawnn
May 6, 2010 @ 4:18 pm
This brought a tear to my eye cause i can relate to almost all of this, mother is my 1st and Primary job which i take very seriously. Makes me love my mom even more cause she fathered me as well.
Annie
May 6, 2010 @ 1:51 pm
I guess every girl who is in two minds – to deliver a baby or not, is the baby worth the physical pain or no – should read this card and realize that a baby is the new promise of our lives and the new spring blossom in which are WE are expressed. I was one of them……… Thanks for this amazing card…
davien
May 6, 2010 @ 1:30 pm
i just shed all along as i read the passage. Indeed its so loving to be a mom. I thank God for all the moms in this world and may they live much more longer!! Happy Mothers day dear Mummies….love you all.
Donna
May 6, 2010 @ 11:53 am
Mothering is the Most important job in a womens life, We do our very best, to teach values, morals, and everything else thats needed to become a respectable human being. We endure hardships, sorrow, trials, and hurt, yet love them always.. I know of one women, who couldnt have any of her own children, and yet was a mother to 5 children. How awsome is that, they have only her to thank for how they turned out in life, wonderful adults.. such a lovely reading.. thanks..
Adewunmi
May 6, 2010 @ 11:19 am
Whaoo!!!! this is lovely, mother’s are wonderful, i proud to be a woman and definitely i would become a mother .
rosepetal
April 21, 2010 @ 1:13 am
being the mother of twoangelic sons and 9 grandchildren i have so abuntatly been truely blessd by my FATHERin heaven;ecpecially since specialist galore said it was totally impossible……..we,d been married six years and all tests proved it to be impossibble.GODdoesn’t see as man does ,you see;for with him nothing is impossable……..ch
rosepetal@yahoo.com
April 14, 2010 @ 11:22 am
this is so beautiful.that there are no words to compare to this oh so truee-card……..carolyn
Adebukola
July 22, 2009 @ 8:26 am
being a mother is not a day job, i am a mother of two kids, but unfortunate they are no more, infact since then i was mad for almost two years. because i love my kids very much.
is not a good expirence
aqua marine
May 17, 2009 @ 12:24 pm
makes me cry…..
ERIC
May 13, 2009 @ 7:09 pm
THE WORDS ARE BEAUTIFUL AND SO VERY,VERY TRUE.MY DAUGHTER RECENTLY GAVE BIRTH TO A WONDERFUL,HEALTHY BOY….A MOTHERS LOVE IS SO VERY SPECIAL. THANKS FOR REMINDING EVERYONE,GOD BLESS,ERIC
jane
May 8, 2009 @ 3:22 pm
there is not much to add to this wonderful poem IT SAY’S it all. There is nothing like being a mother. Nothing ever comes befor your child and their needs.
Glory
May 8, 2009 @ 4:03 am
It’s really an inspiring word,looking forward to being a great MOTHER who will tranform the WORLD.A special prayer to those women who have “WOMBS BUT ARE NOT MOTHERS” that God will tranform them and get them inspired by words like this for our future children and nation.
Sally
May 7, 2009 @ 4:17 pm
I have been blessed with 2 adopted children. They are my children in every sense. I thank God their mothers didn’t have abortions and so selfishly gave their children to us. We have had 36 and 39 years of happiness because their birth mothers let us have the
privilege of raising their children.
Happy Mother’s Day to all mothers! God Bless You!
Saitta
May 7, 2009 @ 1:28 pm
Dear Maggie,
You made 1 statement that I felt compelled to reply to.
You stated you could never understand how a woman could give her baby up.
I also feel the same way, but, I thank God every day of my life that some can do that. I think it has to be the most extreme action on their part.
I also like to think they did it because they loved their baby with every fiber of their being, and they knew they could not give the baby what was needed, for some reason or other.
My son is now 40 yrs. old. We adopted him when he was 3 wks. old. I could have never ordered a child better then him. He has never disrespected me, he is polite to every one he meets. Everyone that knows him thinks he is wonderful. And he IS!!!!
He chose a wife that fits him perfectly, she is the best daughter in law in the world. Now I have 2 fantastic children. I hope some day to have wonderful grandchildren also. I know they will both be great parents & raise their babies the way they should be raised, with love & careful nurturing.
So again, thanks to the women who make that supreme sacrifice, & give their children a chance to grow up in a loving home.
Happy Mother’s Day to all mothers, living or deceased, all over the world!
LOUISE
May 7, 2009 @ 10:19 am
This poem says it all. My mom is gone on to be with Jesus. I miss her each and every day. I’m a mom with two grown girls and I know I never was as good at being a mom as my mom was. I just hope I was good enough. Both my girls have kids of there own and they are great mothers so maybe I did get it right. Happy Mother’s Day to all Mom’s.
Dlpysf
May 7, 2009 @ 7:51 am
thanks for the write-up. the love of a mother is pure and surpasses every other kind of love………..it truly next to Godly love…. thanks to all the living and dead mothers
lucy
May 7, 2009 @ 7:36 am
Being amother is a blessing from God.
Necy Gacilo
May 7, 2009 @ 2:16 am
GOD CANNOT BE EVERYWHERE SO HE CREATED MOTHERS!
Tessie
May 6, 2009 @ 9:44 pm
BEING A MOTHER IM SO BLESS WITH MY CHILDREN.
gloria peralta
May 6, 2009 @ 9:04 pm
It is always hard to teach your children what you learned from a such gratifying experience as being a mother, but a hug and kiss from them tells you that they know what you have done for them.
Miriam Amegatcher
May 6, 2009 @ 7:19 pm
It is a blessing to have such a wonderful experience.
Jennifer Lynn
May 6, 2009 @ 5:27 pm
I am thankful for my Mom, and I am blessed that God gave me to her as her daughter. There is no joy like being a mother, and I have come to understand so many things that my mom did, as I have two sons now, and my mother’s ways, are now mine, as I pass on the knowledge and wisdom she used to raise me, towards raising them. Ofcourse, I couldnt do it without The Lord who has blessed us with two health and God-loving boys. God is truly amazing, and I believe he gives us the strength to endure whatever we face in this life, and He rewards us, even when we don’t deserve it. I pray that God make me into the mother, wife, daughter, sister and friend that He would have me to be. I love you Momma, thank you for being mine, You are Precious to me, for all you have taught me, about God, life, laughter, love, pain, trials, heartaches, death of loved ones, or friends, You will always have a place in my heart that no one else can fit into, because it is molded just for You. Love, Jennifer Lynn XOXOXOXOXO
hr tetty partini
May 6, 2009 @ 1:45 pm
mother’s love it’s true love and never end till the end of this earth for her children, i miss my mom. happy mother’s day!
Maggie : )
May 6, 2009 @ 1:22 pm
Thanks so much for this lovely card and the words are so true! I am a mother of two sons and they are grown men now, and I can say with all honesty that being a mother is the most difficult/ fulfilling job I have ever done in my life. Just like in this card you no longer think of yourself and your own selfish needs, instead you put your child needs before anything and everyone except for God and your hubby.
I remember always thinking wow I am so young (19) with first child, and I hope and pray I can do this right for now God has blessed me with two healthy sons, and I want what God wants for them and so yes I prayed a lot for wisdom on raising my children.
I myself could never do it alone and I love my sons so much and I would die for them too without thinking twice.
I am very proud of my two sons for they are Responsible, Discipline Christian men and are married and I have four grandkids, each son has two kids.
One of the hardest things for me to do as a mother was to say ok now, I must undo the strings and let you live your life as you choose, and Gods plan for you, and I pray I have taught you well enough and loved you enough to get through the ups and downs in this world.
This world we live in is not very forgiven for the most part and many screwups here then you are sunk, that is you think you are,(the enemies would love for you to believe you have no hope) but with God there is light at the end of the tunnel, just hold onto God.
I have never in my lifetime understood how any woman could give up her child. It is a nature instint God puts in us mothers to love and care for our children always. We as women are full of love and compassion from God to nurture, care and do think of all the little ones who are hungry, abused and mistreated in anyway.
It breaks my heart to see so many children who are not love and have no instructions on love and grow up with no discipline, left to raise/defend for themselves. These little children that was given as a precious gift from God have had to fight the odds and my heart goes out to them and always praying they will too realize here in this world of so much confusion and corruption, that yes they too can make it when they let God guide them.
I know so much we as mothers do not understand for we do think different then men do. I have studied Gods words over and over and all I know is that God does allow everything to happen for a reason and the reasons we as human beings do not understand.
Gods ways are not our ways and our ways are not Gods ways, but as we grow in our spirit with God more each day and learn of Him by studying His words do we understand some of this madness here in this world of corruption. We can say why all day and we may never get the answer as to why a man just killed his entire family, etc…but God knows.
I do know for myself and my family I choose God and here the war goes on everyday in a battle with our spirit fighting the enemies (Worldy Lusts, Sins) who would love to have our souls.
It is a tuff war and no-way could I do it without my Savior Jesus Christ who died for my sins, even stand a chance, and Praise God for Jesus did defeat the enemy and Jesus will be back one day for His children who love Him and wipe out Satan once and for all.:)
I do know we all make mistakes, we all sin, we all have regrets, and we all live in this big world here just trying to make the best of what we have until God comes back to save us, His children.
We are to Love, Forgive, Witness and help each other and trust and have Faith in God!
Happy Mothers Day!!!!:)
Love and Hugs Maggie
yolander sermon
May 6, 2009 @ 12:39 pm
Next to GOD, a mother is the most important figure in a childs eyes. Like GOD, her love is everlasting, her patients is long,and she will never leave or forsake her children.Every word of this most beautiful poem is so very true. I have seven daughters and three sons, and when I read this,it brought tears to my eyes and joy to my heart, I knew that I had to share this with all ten of my children, and tell them that this poem speaks of exactly how much I love them, and how much time that I spend thinking of ways to ensure their health, safety, and happiness.
tyna
May 6, 2009 @ 10:54 am
is so beautiful being a mother
Jacqueline Spencer
May 6, 2009 @ 10:02 am
Being a Mother is one Blessing from God that will always be.
Mrs.BlueSky
May 6, 2009 @ 9:13 am
Very very beautiful, and true.