A New Appreciation for Mother’s Day
by Sarah Duch
Last Mother’s Day, while pregnant with our first child, I focused solely on providing our precious son with everything he needed to arrive as a healthy baby boy. Once little Thomas was born, amongst the whirlwind of emotion, I began to understand why Mother’s Day and Father’s Day would never be the same.
My heart is now poured out into my family, and while my own mother and father sat by my hospital bed last year, I realized that just a few short decades ago, they were doing the exact same thing for my brother and me. Now, as the mother of a 10-month-old, I can truly understand what it means to devote your entire self to your child.
When reflecting on my parents’ sacrifice for me, my thoughts immediately turn to my teenage years. At the time, I thought it was my parents’ “duty” to drive me to softball practice, provide me with the latest designer jeans, cheer at every volleyball game, and take pictures at every art show. That attitude is probably quite typical of a teenage girl, but I now understand that they were not simply acting out of a sense of duty, but out of a profound love.
Once my brother and I were born, their hearts became completely devoted to providing us with opportunity and supporting us in every endeavor. This is no easy task, but I pray every day that my husband and I can provide our son with the same love and devotion that my parents provided me.
Parents show their love in a variety of ways, but no matter the approach, they all help shape us into the mothers and fathers we are today. This Mother’s and Father’s Day, as your little one brings you the handmade Mother’s Day card with misspelled words, or rewards you with a slightly-burned Father’s Day breakfast, laugh (on the inside!), show appreciation for the gesture and enjoy the moment. Then use that moment to thank your own mothers and fathers for their devotion to you.
