On Mother's Day

I remember my mother's prayers and they have followed me.

They have clung to me all my life.

Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln, while not the most educated President in the history of the United States, was one of the nation's most gifted orators. He was profound and instructive as he spoke. He held his late mother, who died when he is a small child, in the highest regard. As reflected in the quote above, her influence was never far from him.

The influence, whether good or bad, of a mother can never be downplayed, belittled, or discounted. Ever. Mothers play an immeasurable role in shaping who their children will become. Lincoln's mother, who lived only a few short years after his birth, influenced him for the rest of his live. Her prayers were woven into the fabric of who he was. Mothers are like that. It doesn't matter if you gave birth to the child you mother or not, that influence is undeniable.

Words cannot express the gratitude I feel towards my mother. Her influence and her words have, like Lincoln's mother, clung to me all my life. I am grateful for what my mother taught me, for what she so seemingly willingly endured from a child like me, and for the happiness she gave our family. I am grateful to a mother-in-law who raised a daughter who wanted nothing more than to be a mother. She gave that daughter an incredible guidance and as a result, my own family has been blessed forever. Generations are blessed because of the actions of one mother.

This is particularly acute now as I reflect on the stunningly patient and mighty fine SML and her role as mother. It has been her life and it still is. Just because we only have The Boy left at home does not mean she's ratched down the mother role. Nothing could be further from the truth. She will be a mother forever. My children are beyond lucky. With The Boy Awesome about to be born, making our first-born daughter a mother for the first time, I want her to follow in the footsteps of her mother, my amazing wife. If Our Lady of Awesome will incorporate the lessons she learned from her mother and follow her example, then she will be ready to take on motherhood with confidence.

Like I said, I am so blessed and grateful for the mothers in my life. I have been richly blessed and it is an honor to celebrate them today. As information, though, if you have not finalized your plans on how to make this day special for the mother(s) in your life, please, I beg you by all that's holy to not do this:

And no, it's not the tat that concerns me

Indeed, Hooters, that pinnacle of food (and I use that term loosely) and scantily-clad skanks waitresses is giving Mom a free meal today. Because there is no better way to say "Love you, Mom and thanks for everything" than having a server, spilling out of her tank top, bring the woman who gave you life or who gave your children life a platter full of chicken wings. 

Um, yes there are. There are countless ways to show that love. Man up, my fellow sons, sons-in-law, and husbands, and take good care of the mothers in your life today. They more than deserve it.