It should be Mom's day not Mother's day

There is no doubting that mother’s are important people. They sacrifice their bodies for 9 months (more or less) allowing us to grow until such time as we are able to potentially survive the transition into this earthly environment. Face it, babies (in vitro), are parasites. We usurp a portion of our mothers food supply, we set their natural body chemistry all out-of-whack, and we provide little or no benefits in return. Not only that but then they are told that in order for us to be born healthy they may need to make some significant lifestyle adjustments (those potential benefits usually show up here). Then, on the day we are born, we often put them through some of the most excruciating moments they may ever experience in their lives. Through all this they provide us with the opportunity to experience life and all the wonders of creation. For all that they do, I am grateful to the mothers of this world. However, I don’t believe that this day should be for mothers. I believe this day should be for moms. Please allow me a moment to elaborate.

I have, over the years, used a quote I once heard which (with a gender substitution and some slight alteration) may shed a modicum of light upon the meaning of my previous statement:

“Any man can father a child. It takes someone special to be a dad.”


How I would alter it:

“Any fertile woman can give birth to a child. It takes someone special to be a mom.”


Now I added the fertile because I know that some women deal with this issue (as do some men). Notice though, that’s it’s only in the first sentence. The reason for that is that I believe the ability to bring a life into this world is not ancillary to the ability to be a good parent. Being a good parent is far more about what one does AFTER the child is born. That’s where being a mom is determined. Your mother may have brought you into this world, but your mom helped you learn how to LIVE in it.

While many of us may have had a mother growing up, not all of our moms were our mothers. Sometimes they were aunts, cousins, grandmothers, teachers, friends, friend’s moms, mom’s friends, neighbors, or even dads, friend's dads, uncles, or grandfathers. These are the people who should be celebrated this day. Those people who gave of themselves to teach us how to hope, how to believe in ourselves, and mostly, how to love. Without them we would not be the people we are today. So to all you moms out there I say HAPPY MOM’S DAY!! May your children recognize the blessing in their lives that is you and let you know it today, and every day after, for the rest of your lives.


Much Love,

~Alex



P.S.: If you feel the need to debate anything I have stated please keep it civil.