There are 82 million mothers in the USA, and several billion worldwide. Yet, mothers are singularly special. Some of them are far from perfect, many are wonderful, and some are extraordinarily great. But, each, for at least a moment, felt the awesome responsibility of caring for the unborn, for bringing forth a totally dependent little being and for making the personal changes necessary to insure her child had health, safety and opportunity — the best she could provide.
I think the person who stated “Mother is a verb”, rather than a noun, had it correctly. Mothering is what counts; who mothers you is now often a very unconventional person or even a group of people, in today’s topsy-turvy world, for “it does take a Village to raise a child” and I do not know why Hillary Rodham Clinton was criticized for saying that, but it is entirely true, worldwide and always has been.
Usually it’s a village of mothers, as fathers are becoming less and less involved or always had been, traditionally, but there have always been great Dads (other men need to emulate them!).
As we learn from Eastern Medicine, each of us embody the masculine and feminine “principles”, side by side, and each of us needs to help balance these faculties and emotions, for we need the blessings of both.
Generally, in the past, Western society has not tried to mesh these potent forces, and has “valued” masculine traits. This has led to powerful unhappiness – personally and societally. Women became society’s conscience out of necessity.
Mother’s Day began as a protest against the Civil War in America in the 1860s. Yes, it has been women fighting the lonely, un-glamorous issues, often when they did not have a voice in the public-workings of society. How could THAT ever be! What’s worse, it still is true, for much of the developing world.
I believe that female values are starting to swing the tide, fueled by the revolution, and it was a revolution, which happened in the Western countries in the 1970s.
Now the real “power” behind the patriarchal throne is quietly being born, itself, into the larger society. More women than men are graduating from universities in America. Women are excelling, where the majority of men are just making “average”. The society and workforce will finally have to become truly equitable — not the shameful, for-no-reason at least 25% lower wages for women that still seems to be happening across the board.
Science is constantly showing that the female body excels over males, at just about every measure except physical strength and some spatial faculties. But even that is challenged by individual women, just as individual men embody special sensitivities to nurture.
Science is also showing that at least 97% of all women are actually genetic “sisters”. So, women are all truly “family”. (You can learn more about it, if you study “mitochondrial DNA”). Our Sisterhood is truly a potent bond, if we recognize and act on it. Males do not have a similar genetic connection, as a group.
The Sisterhood is gradually taking the reins of political power. Sometimes, they don’t succeed, but they are trying to — Andrea Merkel succeeded in Germany recently, but Marie-Ségolène Royal in France did not, this time. Britain’s Margaret Thatcher was formidable in the 1980s, Golda Meier in Israel in the 50’s and America has yet to trust a woman at the helm. How absurd.
Yes, what a disconnect. The person most responsible for who you are is somehow incapable of running the country?!
Well, things are changing anyway. Your health is now more-often in the hands of women than men, as more men were in medicine for the money and prestige than to be of-service. I think this will begin to help America become healthier, over time.
The women who run medium size corporations have done well and in a more humane way have led their businesses into the realm of being more responsible. They will be standard-bearers as women reach for placement in decision-making positions in the global corporations, and hopefully, through them, we will begin to see ecological and social responsibility arise or increase.
Women just teach different lessons, and if the outer-world now begins to “match” what was inculcated in you as a child, at home, then fairness will be more the rule and bad behavior will not be tolerated, but will be patiently re-directed, usually successfully.
When society continues the lessons Mother’s teach, we will have a better world.
I Paraphrase the poet Nordette Adams, at blogher.org:
‘We do grab at the love swelling in Mother’s hands,
Which hold our warm, curling fingers.
And whose own palms are
lined first, faintly, with life’s unprobed paths, then
later branded by a tangle of choices made putting us first.
She puts us first like the God who calls us children.’
So, in the spirit of a Mother’s Love:
___ I ask us to respect one another, as your mother most-likely taught you to. And, to allow for, and appreciate, individual “differences”.
___ I ask us to remember the Love she openly shared, even if it was by the hard-choice to let “another” raise you.
___ I ask you to love unconditionally, when you love.
___ I ask you to become the best you can be, in all facets of your life.
___ I ask you to be truthful to yourself and with others.
___ I ask you to be responsible for yourself and for your actions.
___ I ask you to be patient and tolerant.
___ I ask you to think of others beyond yourself.
___ I ask you to act with kindness, knowledge and with courage.
___ I ask you to nourish and take care of your body and respect it, and those of others.
These are just some of the Life Lessons which Mothers know we must have in our quiver if we are just to survive, and we certainly need them to thrive.
As a mother, I try to teach them, to each successive generation — I am part of the Sisterhood, and it does take a Village to raise a child!
The quality with which we use these Lessons determines if we will excel, and if we do excel at the positive road-map she gave us, we can make a better world.
To all the Mothers, I send a big hug, and my admiration and Gratitude.
Best to all — Em
PS
The photo is my own Mum, Muriel, who is a loving, proud and vital 84 years old. I couldn’t have asked for a better mother. I honor her here, and thank her for helping me be who I am.
We’re doing something special together today. I hope you can still be with your mother, or do spend time thinking about the good she did for you.
References:
Woman’s World Magazine, May 15, 2007 edition
http://blogher.org/node/19065
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/10/fashion/10granny.html?em&ex=1179028800&en=9b416874774be811&ei=5087%0A
(c)2007 Em http://diabetesdietdialogue.wordpress.com
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