Feliz Día de Madre en los Estados Unidos!

Note: If you're confused about the title... it means "Happy Mother's Day in the United States!"

Today is Mother's day-- the one day of the year when our Mother's are appreciated, loved, and praised for what they do on a daily basis.  When I say "mothers", I am including the single fathers who play both roles, the pseudo-mothers, the mothers who aren't really mothers but act like it for the sake of the children they take care of... and EXcluding the mothers who don't really act like mothers at all.

I have many fond memories of my mother.  Without her, I'm not sure my life would be half as manageable as it is.  Heck-- without her, this past year would have royally screwed me over.  My mother has been there for me through it all, has never judged me, has always accepted and supported me no matter what the situation.  She has always provided for me, given me a shoulder to cry on and has cried WITH me just because the sight of sadness in my eyes was too much for her.  She has taught me how to be a woman, how to be a mother in the future, how to be a true, loving, gentle, kind person... and she has taught me how to be strong.  She has taught me the values that I should look for in a partner, but at the same time has shown me the strength and determination it takes to be a single mother when things don't work out for the best.  Without her, I'm sure I wouldn't have the morals or the values that I do have; the ones that make me who I am.  She is not just my mother, she is my best friend.  She has the biggest heart in the world and I can only hope to be as wonderful of a mother as she has been.

My question is... do you treat your mother the same way you do on Mother's day every other day of the year?  If not, you should rethink that.  There are many people who have no mother, whether it be because their mother has passed on or maybe they never even had a mother.  There are people who HAVE mothers, but have no relationship with those mothers because they never wanted children.  For all of us who do have someone that we can lovingly call "Mother", it's almost taken too lightly these days.  It's as if we believe that nothing will ever happen to our mothers because they are invincible.  I'd like to think that, but no one is exempt from the icy cold hand of death when it's time to go.  Shouldn't we treat our mothers every day with the same love, respect, compassion, appreciation that we do on Mother's day?

Food for thought.