With Mother’s Day right around the corner, many of us are enjoying the amazing experience of being a mother. It is hard to believe the many changes that have happened in our lives since the arrival of our little ones. One can never explain how motherhood makes you rethink your core values and re-evaluate your inner beliefs. What was once important seems trivial, and what we would never give up doing before, we happily forgo just to be with our children.

Over the last 5 years of motherhood, I have changed immensely in my thoughts and opinions. Never again will I judge a mother whose baby won’t stop crying or be impatient with someone whose stroller gets stuck in a doorway. When a friend calls to cancel because she was up all night with her kids, I get it and when she later tells you how the smallest thing moved her heart, I can feel it too.

Motherhood is one of the greatest gifts in the world and I am sure all of us can recognize the feelings, emotions, worries and hardships that come with this monumental position. This Mother’s Day, as you celebrate your own outstanding success, please take a moment to reflect on those same accomplishments made by your own mother. In different time, when woman had different challenges, different roles and certain things were expected, your mother did the best she could to love, nurture and raise you.

For many years, I had a difficult and troubled connection with my mother. I wanted her to be someone else and do the things I thought good parenting entailed. Over time, as I grew into my own experience of motherhood, I was able to see her efforts and actions more clearly. Although she was not perfect, she did the best she could. Now I see the hard work and effort it took in for her to raise me and I acknowledge that she loved me in her way, not a story book way.

If your mother is still with you, I encourage you to make this Mother’s Day about her. Give her the gift of mothering that you have learned with your own children. Open your arms to her and embrace the childhood she gave you with acceptance and understanding. If you have never said thank you or told her that you appreciated all that she did, it may be the greatest gift you could give her. Think what it would be like to have your child praise and celebrate your efforts at parenting, and then share that with her.

If you have a difficult relationship with your mother, you may be interested in the journey I took to renew my relationship with my mother. You can read about it at www.lettersformymother.com.

The first 5 people to ask for a copy by commenting to this post will receive a free copy of my book.

Happy Mother’s Day!

Standing on my soapbox,

JB