asian mother and child

“A mother is a person who seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie.”

Today is a special day, even if we ignore the rampant commercialism that comes along with the greeting cards, flowers, chocolates, and overpriced “special” brunch menus. Today is the day that we celebrate and honor all the mothers of the world.

The quote above comes by way of mother and author Tenneva Jordan. She reminds us of a simple fact when it comes to a mother’s love: a great mom will always put her children ahead of herself. Growing up, many of us may have resented our moms for scolding or disciplining us, but as we get older, we really start to recognize the sacrifices that she had to make, giving us the opportunities that she did.

“All mothers are working mothers.”

This anonymous quote hits on a very important point. While gender roles are certainly shifting and there are more moms who are out in the workforce (including moms who work from home), that doesn’t mean that we should think any less of the mothers who stay at home to raise their children. This is easily one of the most important jobs of all and it can oftentimes go under-recognized.

“A mother is not a person to lean on, but a person to make leaning unnecessary.”

And finally, we have this quote from social activist Dorothy Canfield Fisher, named by Eleanor Roosevelt as one of the ten most influential women in the United States. We may lean on our mothers for just about everything during our early years, but the greatest lesson any mother can teach her children is how to be self-sufficient and self-reliant.

She prepares you for the world. The least you can do is take her out for lunch.