Mother’s Day is a beloved and important holiday in which all people can show gratitude and thankfulness towards the woman they owe their lives to. Whether through a bouquet of flowers, a special dinner or a handmade gift there are plenty of actions students often take to appreciate their mothers; but beyond that comes the opportunity to reflect on the roles mothers have taken on throughout our entire lives, and to show a deeper appreciation for the sacrifices that go into raising children.
My mother has, for a long time now, been working for Runningbrook Elementary School as an occupational therapist doing work for children with special needs across all grade levels. When I very recently had the chance to shadow the school psychologist there, Dr. Seacott, on a take your child to work day, I spent a good portion of the day making rounds and checking in on classrooms. Every staff member that asked who’s child I was had their eyes light up when I told them my mother’s name, and despite knowing for years that she was an intelligent and ambitious person, I was astounded by the near constant praise and approval I heard. Things like “she’s the one we all go to when we’re really in a bind on a certain student” or that “this department wouldn’t be the same without her” stuck in my head the whole day afterwards, and still reverberates now as I reflect more upon the role of my mother in my life up until this point. As I’ve grown older I see my mother in a totally different light, and I think its rather incredible that we can live with them for so long without giving deep consideration to the lives our mothers had before children, and continue to have as working professionals, friends, daughters, spouses and much much more. Students are so often exposed to the flaws and annoyances of having rules and guardians that they forget how truly remarkable mothers often are as people.
As much as I appreciate the individual my mom is, I would be remiss not to mention the amazing role she has taken as a caretaker, and how well she manages to juggle being a fun, loving person with the responsibilities she has. My mom, ever since I was little, has instilled in me the value of knowing your own worth, setting aside time to enjoy myself and being more spontaneous and proactive for my own happiness.Without these principles I would be a vastly different person now with wildly different priorities.
There is a world out there where your mother never made the sacrifices she did for the sake of having you, a life where she chose to be an individual above all else and pursue dreams and opportunities without the obligations of having a child, but she chose to put all that aside for the sake of you. There is an immense beauty in motherhood that is often vastly underappreciated in light of the sometimes limiting disciplinarian role that parental figures must take on. However, as Mother’s Day comes around, students should be inspired to take on the chance to truly show gratitude and love for the person that has loved and guided them throughout their lives, especially as their time at home comes to an end and life across counties, state boundaries or on opposite sides of the country becomes a real possibility. It is never too late to show the people in your life that you love and appreciate them, so take this mother’s day as an opportunity to do so.