thoughts about mother's day

This past Sunday was Mother's Day (in case you were unaware...and if that's the case you may be in trouble with your mama). For some reason, the past few years I have found a special place in my heart for Mother's Day. Since I became involved in my church (more on that later) and began singing at our contemporary Mass, the Mother's Day celebration has always been one that sticks out in my mind, one that I always look forward to each year. It's funny, because as I was sitting during Mass this past Sunday I realized that it's not like there is anything special going on... there is no particular homily or anything that changes. But there is always a blessing at the end of Mass, to bless the mothers in all that they do for those around them. It's during this part that I have always felt this warmth in my heart. I feel connected to these awesome women somehow. Whether I know them personally or not, I am proud to be in the presence of such strong women who do so much for the world.

This year was a bit different. I have made and are about to make some big changes in my life and I feel that these changes impacted the usual emotions I feel on this day. I am wrapping up my first year of teaching, I have been living an adult-out-of-college-on-her-own life for the past year, and I am about to enter into married life (in 80 days, just saying). This year of teaching has taught me lessons beyond my thinking. I never realized the mothering instincts that would come pouring out of my heart as I began to get to know the 20 little people I would interact with on daily basis for the next 10 months of my life. I try with the best of my abilities to make these 20 different, funny, and original personalities feel cared for and special somehow in my eight hours I have with them. I have also been preparing my heart to take this huge leap in life and become someone's wife. With that I have been learning about daily sacrifices I may have to make, changes that are going to come when living with a person, and the importance of making decisions together as a team. Qualities that I haven't really had to face as intensely before and facts of life that have made me really miss my life as a selfish college student. However, these are also qualities that I can tell are going to make me a better, stronger, grown-up type person. 

While we may not all fit the definition of a mother, I know I certainly don't, we all share in being women and showing love to those around us in a way that only a woman knows how.  I know I still have a long way to go in becoming the woman I am intended to be, but I hope that in some way, whether it be a student or a friend, I have been a loving, caring, compassionate person to someone in this past year.

I hope that all women at some point or another felt special on Mother's Day!