Mother. It’s a word encompassing so much that an accurate explanation of its meaning may seem to fall beyond description. Of course, there is the dictionary definition: female parent; a woman in relation to her child or children. But we all know a mother is so much more than that.
We can all describe our mom by her physical characteristics. We can even talk about her wonderful personality and her generous spirit. But even that will probably fall short.
Because a mother is all that and so much more.
A woman doesn’t have to be one’s biological mother to be a mother. In fact, it is that intangible depth of feeling, the bond that forms far beyond the physical connection, that is the essence of a mother. And that essence is what makes it almost impossible to describe her.
Perhaps we should just leave it to Edgar Allan Poe’s poem “To My Mother”:
The angels, whispering to one another,
Can find, among their burning terms of love,
None so devotional as that of “Mother.”
How will you show your appreciation to the mothers in your life this year?