Moms. Can't Live Without Them.

 "...But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised." Proverbs 31:30b

My Mother, Sarah

I have been blessed by seeing two great moms in action, my mother and my wife.  My quasi-adopted daughter and my first-born daughter both are now mothers and doing wonderful jobs as mothers.  I mean jobs.  I am not an expert, but I don't think there is another more demanding, frustrating and exhilarating job as mother.

Can we appreciate the job mothers do enough? I don't think so.  We set aside a day to honor them and that's nice.  But unfortunately America does not seem to value mothers as it should.  Recently a political commentator inaccurately mused that Ann Romney had not "worked" a day in her life.  Obviously a thoughtless thing to say about a mother of five boys.

Incidentally, I understand Mrs. Romney has and continues to deal with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). In 2006 she received the MS Society Inspiration Award from the Central New England Chapter of the National MS Society.  The reason I mention it is because I am thinking of my mother who succumb to the disease a number of years ago.

My mother was a great encouragement to me.  When I was small boy she told me that I could do anything that I put my mind to.  What a priceless gift to give a child!  Because I loved and trusted my mother it wasn't until many years later that I had to consider the possibility that I might indeed have some limitations!  But this advise gave me such confidence as a boy that it lead to many useful successes that I could build on into adulthood.

My mother inspired each of her children, and for each of the seven she had a special bond. When my mother passed away I learned from my six siblings that each of them had thought they were my mother's favorite!

My mother wasn't especially political.  Like most suburban housewives of the time she shied away from talking politics in public.  It wasn't the polite thing to do.  Ever the encourager, she supported my political interests, though likely not all my political positions.  After I lost my third election she sent me a note of encouragement and a newspaper clipping of all of Abraham Lincoln's failures (political and business) before he was elected President.

I am sure many of you could share similar stories today about your mother.  Let me close this political blog by thanking all the mothers that have helped to make America the land where we are free (and encouraged) to pursue happiness.