the emotional nature of motherhood

How is it that as a society, we have agreed to pick one day out of every year to acknowledge mothers and shower them with public displays of our love and appreciation for them?

How can one day possibly live up to the expectations put upon it?

How can we children of our mothers find the perfect expression of our gratitude for our mothers?

I don't have any of the answers. I do know that the journey along the road of motherhood/daughterhood can be smooth or bumpy, curved or straight, uphill and down. Sometimes, it is a bright sunny day and sometimes it is a dark scary night. And sometimes, there are spills and accidents. But hopefully, more often than not, it is a great ride with amazing views and we can find everything we need on our journey.

I don't know what's going on, but in recent months, I've noted that I have my gramma's soft, saggy cheeks, my mother's thin-skinned hands, and in photos, I tilt my head to the side just like my mom does. I'm sure those are only a few of the similarities between me and the females who came before me in my family. I still occasionally find myself pushing back against the moments when my mother's words spurt out of my mouth and I wonder, "Did I just say that?"

And while I'm sure there are things I've done that my mother would never do and there are things she's done that I'd never do, and the same holds true for my gramma and my daughter, but there are many more things that we have in common. I am of them and they are of me.

The best job I could ever have had is being a mother. It is my best work. And I love these women every one.

And now I think I'll go watch Steel Magnolias. Or make dinner. :)

Happy Mother's Day to all.