I originally was going to post on a different topic, but didn’t want to skip the holiday for a post I can do later.  For too many people Mother’s Day is, unfortunately, the one day they remember their moms and the role they played in their lives.  In too many cases, the mom may be the only parent in the household, forced to raise her kids as both father and mother, while also serving as breadwinner.

Each mother has experienced the maternal love for their unborn child, the pain of childbirth, and the desire to protect the newborn that has been such a focal point of the 9 month birth process.  This attachment, devotion and love is something uniquely feminine and, frankly, a relationship impossible for men to understand at its core.  As fathers of daughters, this is one area we cannot provide any insight, guidance or advice other than to point you to your mothers.

Your mothers are incredible women.  They are beautiful, intelligent, engaging and have thoroughly enthralled us as men to the point that we not only pursued them as partners for the rest of our lives, but desired to raise a family, establishing another link in the lineage and heritage of our families. These women are uniquely suited to be a guide, a model and a key supporter of yours in all phases of your life.  The type of woman we hope you become is the type of woman we chose for us…and that is part of why today is important.

The role of a mother is one of the most difficult to fill.  It requires patience, humor, love, tolerance, wisdom, perseverance, and is, unfortunately, generally, a thankless job.  It is easy to measure success in most jobs, but, the job of a mother never truly ends, it just evolves.  You see indicators of success as your kids grow and mature, but you never stop being their mother, you just also become their friend.

I have been doubly blessed with both a wife who is an amazing mother, and a mother who has been an amazing example and friend.  My mom, like all of us, is not perfect, but was perfect for me.  She was my biggest supporter when I questioned myself.  She was a wise sounding board, who knew when I needed wise advice and when I needed to find the path on my own.  Most importantly,  she was the example I needed of a child of the Father.  Her honest, open faith, with all of the doubts, difficulties and victories showed me more about living and growing my faith than any number of Sunday services.  I have been truly blessed to have had that example continue with your mother.

So, today, for all our mothers out there, thank you for your lives, your examples, and most of all your love.  We are truly better men because of it.

Happy Mother’s Day!