Let's hear it for the Moms!

 

By: Marcia King-Gamble

www.lovemarcia.com

This month of May is all about Mothers. Yesterday was Mother’s Day; the official day for showing appreciation to the woman who carried you, or the one who raised you. Maybe it was a person who was just there when you needed them. This brings up the question - what is a mother? 

Is it a woman who gave birth to a child (birth mother), or is it the person who provided emotional care and support?

To me, a mother is so much more than the woman who carries a child, goes into labor, and gives birth. There are men who stepped in and have been both mother and father to a young person, They should be honored too, and not just on Father's Day .

Now, I’m going to say something that may or may not be controversial. Not everyone is cut out to be a mother. This is evident by turning on the television or tuning into the news. Almost every day a baby is abandoned or given away. Some leave the baby at the hospital or on a church’s doorstep. Others, less caring, dump the baby in the trash. Babies have been left in subways or abandoned in bathrooms. Then there are those who for a variety of reasons put their child up for adoption, either because they are simply not ready or have way too many mouths to feed.

Each birth mother has her own reasons. Not everyone is able, or fit to take on that task. Mothering is a lifetime business, and some make the difficult or necessary decision to opt out. The reasons are varied, ranging from short on finances to single parent status. Some are just not feeling the maternal nudge.

This brings me to another controversial issue, the fact that Roe V Wade is being challenged fifty years after the initial ruling. Are we back to forcing women not ready or equipped to be mothers into having unwanted children? Not every pregnancy is the result of a loving union. Shouldn’t a woman have the right to choose to be a mother, and shouldn’t she be ready for that responsibility. Motherhood is a lifelong commitment.   

So, what’s my definition of a mother? She/he is a person who nurtures and cares for you. A person who is your biggest supporter, and who at times may demonstrate tough love. She/he is not necessarily an enabler, but someone there through thick or thin. She/he gives you a well needed kick in the butt when necessary, and at other times builds you up.

 Over the years, I have had many mothers. They each taught me something valuable. My biological one was tough as nails, and far from a shrinking violet. She was a woman way ahead of her time. She taught me the value of an education, and she promoted independence. She believed if you wanted something, you went out and got it yourself. No handouts for her, or her children, and no dependence on a man. And she was married to my father for over fifty years, and frankly she made things happen.

My second mother, my aunt, was a free spirit, and more nurturing than my biological mother. You could tell her anything. She believed in me, and she found a way for me to go to that out-of-town college that back then was super expensive. If I ever needed something she was there, no questions asked.

Friends’ mothers often mothered me. We grew up on a small island where everyone made it their business to know your business. If you stepped out of line, your “Aunties” were right there admonishing you, and with your biological mother’s permission, they could give you a backhanded slap. Back then, no one called Child Protective services if you got a well-deserved whack.  In fact, there was no Child Protective Services.

Even as an adult, an author friend, stepped into the role of “Mom” for me. She had five adult kids of her own. I became the 6^th. I learned to be more diplomatic from this wonderful woman who taught me the art of turning the other cheek. More importantly, she taught me that kindness really mattered, and that people would remember how you made them feel. While she recently passed away, I will always cherish the memories of her generous spirit, and her reminder that when life hands you limes it's time to make lemonade. Thank you, author, Linda Anderson.    

A book that we should all read, (not one of mine) also comes to mind. It’s titled a Mother’s Promise by KD Alden. While it’s not the easiest read, (in terms of a feel-good book), it does depict motherhood in a variety of forms.

So, back to what does a “mother” mean to you? Is she the cookie-cutter, June Cleaver ‘mom,’ or is she today’s woman with a full-time job? There really isn’t a handbook for mothers to read. Mothering just comes from the heart.

Have a Happy May! Big hugs and belated wishes to the mothers out there!

 

About Marcia King-Gamble

Romance writer, Marcia King-Gamble originally hails from a sunny Caribbean Island where the sky and ocean are the same mesmerizing shade of blue. This former travel industry executive has spent most of life in the United States. A National Bestselling author, Marcia has penned over 34 books and 8 novellas. She has contributed to Michael Fiore’s DigitalRomanceInc and served as a moderator on the now defunct eHarmony advice boards.  Having witnessed the bad, the ugly, and the not so good in relationships, she still prefers to write about happily ever after. Caring for her animal family keeps her grounded and sane.

Visit Marcia at www.lovemarcia.com or “friend” her on Facebook: http://bit.ly/1MlnrIS

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