thoughts on mothers

I have a wonderful mother. Not only has she always loved us, she has expanded beyond our immediate family to include others in our extended family. There were the young men my father befriended who shared his interest with cars. There were our boyfriends and husbands. There were close friends who were only children and didn't have extended family. Our family extends far beyond those she gave birth to or the families my parents were born into. Thanks, Mom, for a great example.

I have lots of other honorary mothers in my life as well. There are many women who nurtured me, particularly when I lived far from my own mom and needed motherly advice, like when my daughter was young. Most of these women are members of my church family. A few were friends I encountered along the way. I'm grateful for their friendship and examples.

Now, I have another generation of mothers in my life: my daughter, step-daughter, and step-granddaughter. These women are also good examples. The youngest are dealing with the challenges of new babies. My step-daughter is dealing with the challenge of children leaving home. They all are doing a wonderful job of being moms.

To all the women out there who nurture us, thanks. Thanks for your love, patience and caring. What would we do without these wonderful women?