Hail to our Mothers!
I was on a long run yesterday, thinking about this book we are working on — this book about mothers and for mothers. I started thinking about our own mothers and how much we owe them.
Susan’s mom e-mails her daily with suggestions about the title, and her enthusiasm is so energizing. Anne’s mom is a die-hard Big Apple lover and just took Anne and her family to the city for their annual visit. My mother unfailingly checks in with me to see how I’m managing with work and with the kids, and her bottomless compassion and support always give me a boost.
Our mothers had different lives than we do, that’s for sure. I don’t know that their day to day lives were easier or harder, they were just different. But when we face our challenges, and dream our dreams, lurking right there in our hearts is the knowledge of how much they cared for us… and how much they still do care for us. We’re entering middle age (groan!), but we still need our mothers every now and then.
I guess the bottom line is really… how will our children remember us once they’re grown up? Loving… compassionate… decisive… happy. Hopefully all that and more.