A note to Dads on Mother’s Day

Have you looked at the calendar lately? I don’t want to start a panic, but Sunday is right around the corner, and that “corner” could be more trouble than turn 4 at Daytona if you’re not paying attention. Of all the special days we celebrate, Mothers Day likely stirs more deep, personal emotion than any of the other special days with the possible exceptions of Christmas, Easter and Thanksgiving. Mothers Day is something the whole country can agree on because, first of all, every one of us had or still has a mother. If you think you got here any other way, that’s okay, just don’t tell me about it. Secondly, Mothers Day is not necessarily identified with any religious season, national sporting event, famous person, state flower, state bird, or champion farm animal, so there’s no competition involved. Thirdly, there are more songs (especially country songs) about Mother than there are about aunts, uncles, sis-ters, brothers, cousins, Daddy or any other relative, and who doesn’t love singing along with Merle or Willie in a good ‘ole song about “Mama”. In 1914, President Woodrow Wilson signed a resolution making Mothers Day a national holiday. That law says Mothers Day will always be on the second Sunday in May. I guess that means Mothers get at least one day off a year. So that would make sense because all the other 364 days, Moms are definitely work-ing. They say sweeping the floor is one of the unhealthiest things you can do to your back and legs. Mom’s do a lot of that. I tried it a few times, and I agree with whoever it was that said it was bad for you, so I have tried to avoid it ever since. Have you ever spent a whole weekend washing clothes? I tried that too once. Most of my shirts came out looking like they were tie-dyed at Woodstock. I was banned from operating the washing machine and dryer, but Moms spend a lot of time there. Ever had an epidural shot? Have you seen that needle? It looks like something a veterinarian would use on a grown elephant. Moms get those when they have babies. How would you feel about signing up to gain about 30 extra pounds and putting up with all kinds of weird changes in your life for the next 275 days? Moms do that too, and then for the next twenty years or so, they worry about that little person who grew inside them for nine months. Actually, they worry about that little person for the rest of their lives. Moms do that. When was the last time you cooked supper? Yeah, that’s what I thought. Moms do that most nights in addition to shopping for your favorite food and bringing it home to you. Moms do an awful lot of things you could do yourself and an aw-ful lot of things you couldn’t do. The amazing thing is that nearly 60 per cent of moms do all that and more while holding down a full-time job. But here’s the thing; Moms don’t think too much about who does what. Moms just do whatever there is that needs doing. That “Mom DNA” is probably the strongest stuff since Kryptonite (ref: Superman), and when it kicks in, the best thing to do is just get out of the way. But while you’re keeping your head down and staying out of the way, thank the Lord for all the things that Mom does and all that she is. That’s what you can do.

After all the utilitarian services that Moms take care of, probably the most important job that any mother has is simply providing the emotional bond that strengthens the foundation of the household. There is no substitute for a mother’s love, but today there can be all sorts of different providers of that same needed love and support. Adoptive mothers, aunts, grand-mothers, foster mothers and others who step up and fill-in can transform lives. As we celebrate this Sunday, we honor all those who bring the love and nurturing care of motherhood into this world. Like many of you, I miss my mother a little more with each passing year, but I am thankful for the wife and mother who continues to inspire, protect and love our family and the home we have made.

I hope all you Moms have a restful and very special Mothers Day !