TOMORROW we celebrate Mother’s Day. We take a moment and reflect on how wonderful our mums are.
The life they give us is usually accompanied by unspeakable pain, but this is almost immediately forgotten at the sight of their newborn.
They then invest their life in our development and instil in us a capacity to face life with confidence.
I know many wonderful mothers who are committed to growing their little humans to be the best adults they can be, maybe to be the next world-changer or earth-shaker.
Mothers see the best in you and tolerate the worst in you, accompanied by an extraordinary hope that you can change and become better. I acknowledge this is, sadly, not everyone’s experience.
I have a wonderful example of parenting in my own mother, who always believes the best of me. And I have the great pleasure of watching my daughters mother their children and invest their lives to see their kids blossom and grow.
What amazes me with children is how much they adore their mothers — well, at least until they become teenagers.
I was recently at an Anzac Day event with Ali Cupper and watched her little boy brought by his dad Ben to meet her.
His eyes lit up with joy at seeing his mum, as he reached out to be held by her. I honour Ali in the challenge of balancing being an elected representative and being the mum of a young child.
Young mothers seeking to balance work and family often experience sleep deprivation, never-ending laundry, and dirt and mess on a daily basis. I can tell you: they deserve tomorrow’s flowers and chocolates.
However, there are some mothers who will have no one to honour them, for many different reasons. If you’re one of these mums, I want you to know how important and valuable you are.
Whether you are 80 or 20 years old, you have made an enormous contribution to our community – a human being who just might end up being that world-changer.
Good things come in small packages. Happy Mother’s Day!
