Mother's Day, Mothering Day, Aunt Day, Sister Day, Friend Day

I love mothers. I wish all the time I could tell my mom just what a gift she was to me. Mothering, though, is not only limited to mothers. I am so grateful for the aunts, cousins, friends, sisters, and so many others who mother me in different ways. They listen to my woes, give me advice, bravely try my cooking, read what I write, celebrate big and little things with me, pray with and for me. Now it is my turn. I get to do all those things for these college kids. I also get to do them for my cousins and nieces and nephew. My friend D once told me, "You have no idea how much mothering you do!" That was so special that I wrote it right in my Bible, next to the verse in Psalms that says that God will settle the barren woman in her home as the happy mother of children. I am very settled in my home, and love my role as wife, daughter, cousin, aunt and friend. Like Melanie Notkin says, "Babies are born from the womb. Mothering is born from the soul."