Obviously we all know what’s coming – Mother’s day. It’s that wonderful day of the year that  we shower our mothers with cards, flowers, candy or other gifts in an effort to show our appreciation for her years of love, sacrifice, devotion and caring. Some people might look forward to celebrating this day, and others may not.

Being a parent is hard sometimes, but being a child can also be really hard. I was fortunate to have caring parents, and grandparents, but many children are not as fortunate.  Some parents start out with love and care in their hearts or minds, but get lost or confused along the way, maybe drowning in their own problems and forgetting how much their children need them. For these children a deep ache, loneliness and longing develops, and sometimes a lifetime of resentment toward their parents.

Growing up is hard enough, the process needs to be cushioned by loving and caring parents. I have experienced the difference it makes because my husband was abandoned at six years old. Torn away from family, friends and relatives that were his world until then; it is not an easy thing to recover from. Although he ended up with grandparents in a different city, they didn’t really know how to repair the damage that had been done. Sometimes children are expected to be more resilient than they are capable of.

For some time I worked in human services, dealing every day with the struggles parents have with life, and with parenting, and seeing the impact this has on children. It was often heartbreaking. Because of these personal experiences I have developed so much gratitude for my parents. They were not perfect as no one is, but they allowed themselves to grow emotionally and spiritually through the years, becoming wonderful grandparents and creating a strong foundation of love and security for the whole family.

I’m looking forward to this Mother’s Day as an opportunity to once again thank my mom for always being there for me with her love and care. My mom turns 80 on the same week, so it is also a week to celebrate her life. I want to make it a very special day and week for mom, because a mother’s love is worth more than the whole world.