Here’s To the Mothers in Our Lives

Mom, you gave me life and all that you have. Sometimes I was very ungrateful, but you kept giving.

You kept going through tragedy and made sure my life was safe and that I could still be a child through it all. You did this on your own through so much loss. I know there had to be times where you wanted to give up, but I never noticed.

It was always love and laughter. I have no idea how you did it. 

You are my superwoman, and there is no greater heroine than you in any comic book or action movie.

With your actions, you showed me how to be strong and how to also be soft and care about those who have less and have lost more than we ever did or will. You taught me wrong from right. You helped grow this fiery passion inside of me that makes me uniquely me.

Sometimes we haven’t seen eye to eye. I’m a nervous new mother, and I’m sensitive, and I experienced life differently than you did. I know my actions don’t always make sense to you as I find my way, but you allow me to pave my own path, even if it’s not the way you would necessarily do it. You sit back and you watch, and you let me fail and succeed without criticism and help me pick up the pieces when I really need it.

This is why I am the woman I am today.

There are not enough thank yous in the world to repay this kindness. Thank you, mom.

To my mother-in-law, thank you. You raised a man who entered my life with such a passion and kindness, it didn’t seem real. He taught me about loving a partner and friend more than anyone else could ever do. He loves me through my good times and my worst of times.

He has proven to be an epic father. He plays hard and makes up for the times when I am so worn out, I couldn’t possibly play or do another second. His energy knows no limits, and I’m in awe of this as mine fizzles out near 5:00 pm daily.

We don’t always see eye to eye and we have had our struggles. You care a lot about protecting all of us. I have been a fighter and wildly independent for years. We misunderstand one another often. One thing we have in common is the love of family and how much that means to us. I know you have been there — that new mother in a new family, trying your best to keep it all together, all while running on fumes.

I know you know the struggles behind raising kids with a husband whose job has him frequently away and at all hours. I picture you often when I’m up with the kids in the middle of the night when they are sick or having a nightmare or simply don’t want to sleep. I know you have been there, alone, and I know it was hard. Yet, through it all, you raised an incredible man.

I could never thank you enough.

To my friends who are mothers, I see you all. I see you struggling to get it together. I see you working hard outside of the home for your family. I see you working hard at home for your family. The demands of this world we live in take their toll. I see you are tired and stressed. I see that you try so hard to do it all and look good while doing it.

Don’t try so hard to do it all. You are doing enough. And you are all enough. 

Let the bad days go. Embrace the wins, no matter how small and be far less harsh on you. You are a machine, a superwoman. And you are raising your kids the best way you know how in a world that isn’t always very kind.

Call a mom today and tell her how much you love her or believe in her. She needs it. We all need to hear how much we are loved and that we are most definitely, simply, enough as we are.