Mother's Day -- who's it for anyway?

I wanted to write this post on Saturday, but life (in the guise of trying to translate the appropriate Austrian form for our visas) got in the way. Yesterday, the actual Mother's Day, I gave my family a gift of staying off the computer all day to spend time with them! It was lovely. So now, a couple of days late, you'll get my take on Mother's Day!

I was at the store, buying cards for upcoming birthdays and graduation. As I passed the all-pink section of Mother's Day cards, I decided to pick one up for the kids to give their Nana. There are cards for grandmas, first-moms, moms-to-be, "mothers", mommies, mothers-in-law, godmothers, daughters, daughters-in-law ... every imaginable motherhood is covered.

Now, I've never been a strong proponent of other-than-kids giving women Mother's Day cards. I think it's a lot of Hallmark-hype. How many ways can you claim motherhood and have a card made?

But, as I was standing in front of all that pink, it dawned on me that I should be sending cards to every mother I know. I should be showing them that I'm thrilled and proud that they chose to be mothers. That I embrace them as part of the procreative force which the late, great John Paul II wrote so lovingly and beautifully about.

We should support those who took the path of motherhood. We should commend those who cheer for their children's successes, weep for their children's failures and pray for their children's everlasting souls. These are the true heroes of American life today.

God Bless all Mothers on this and all Mother's Days!