Okay, quick, what is the bestselling album of all time?
Don’t know? Me neither. Does it matter?
Exactly.
Reading this article on Adele, I was incredulous that she and other celebrity women were being criticized for saying their most fulfilling role in life has been motherhood (and not a bestselling album). Apparently, Natalie Portman caused an “uproar” in stating a similar message when receiving an Oscar.
Seriously?
Not to be annoying, but how is possible that we live in a society where a woman is demeaned for publicly valuing motherhood—i.e. creating and nurturing human life?
I thank all women who share, support, and encourage the value in being a mother. It is literally priceless. It is incomparable to anything else we as women can do. And that’s no disrespect to anything else we do—and I do plenty, from speaking to writing to teaching a program. And as much as I feel utterly compelled in doing that, it still does not hold a candle to what I do in my home, as mundane as it daily may seem.
To create, raise, and love another human being as only a mother can is an infinite gift. And while the reality is exactly that—real life, including sick kids, tough nights, and endless teaching—that’s precisely where the fulfillment and growth are found.
And I absolutely include those who aren’t mothers in the physical or typical sense. What does that matter? We all have mother hearts, and we fulfill that role with whatever life hands us. But that doesn’t mean we regard the meaning of the role any less because we fulfill it differently than another.
Today, my son is sick. I stayed up all night with him as he fought a fever. I tended to him starting at 3 a.m.and have continued to do so until he fell asleep. I gave juice and supplements, administered healing oils physically and through a diffuser, sought spiritual help through prayer and a blessing, and cuddled him continually.
Although I was supposed to teach a special White House presentation for the Kindergarten today, a helpful neighbor replaced me. She offered either to watch him for me or to go in my stead. Sitting with my son, I knew exactly what he wanted—his mom.
At that moment, there is nothing sweeter than knowing someone you love needs to be nurtured, and you are the one to do it. Not perfectly, not medically trained, but ideal for what he needs at this moment. That’s joy.
I hope today—amidst carpool, dental appointments, and forgotten homework—you can feel the true to-your-bones blessing in being a mother. To know that you were able to participate in the miracle of creating a human being, and that you get the privilege of being the core maternal influence in that being’s life forever, is supernal.
With much love,
Connie
