Mothers are for leaning in not leaning on

It’s Mother’s Day. Today we recognise all mothers, biological or not. Every child who has someone they call “Mom” has someone in their corner, for life. Through the good times and the bad, the happy and the sad. If there is one person who will always believe in them, it is their mother. Happy Mother’s Day to every woman who has ever stepped into the shoes of being a mother or a mother figure.

I’m a great believer in the fact that even when our own mother figures are not physically accessible, either geographically, or because they are no longer with us, we naturally seek out a mother figure/s to walk through life with us. Whether we are male or female we seek out a mother to be part of our lives. That person who is there to nurture us, believe in us and has our back, always. That person who is the keeper of our history and can remember all the details about our life’s journey that we may have forgotten. That person who will fill in the blanks for our partners and our children, or can tell the doctor our full medical history. That person who knows us inside out and upside down. Who loves us for both our shadow and our light.

Moms of the world, it all begins with you. Thank you for stepping up to the plate. For staying the course (it’s a long one!). We honour you. We respect you. We love you. You are part of who we are, as we will always be a part of you. Please take this day and allow your family to pamper you. All the gifts and cards in the world will never be thanks enough for what you do and what you have sacrificed for your family.

When children are little, moms are there to lean on, every step of the way. But, as children grow up, every day mothers have to let their precious children go, little by little, so that their children can stand alone, independently in the sunlight, choosing to lean in every now and again to that precious mother love, knowing that it will always be there.

Here’s to finding the balance between being there for your children to lean on and lean in. It’s the ultimate challenge of motherhood.

Much love from one mom to another.