To You ,
Mom
Audrey Costa
May is the blessed month to honor thy mother the way thy mother ought to be honored . But what constitutes a mom ? Merriam-Webster defines a mother as being “ a female parent ” - and in the case of queens and terrifying nuns , mother can also mean , “ a woman of authority .” But for those of us lucky enough to have - or have had - strong , supportive , and unconditionally-loving women in our lives , our mother is someone who shaped our lives and made us into the people we are today .
The title of mom is no longer reserved for a female who has given birth to a child . Most people now recognize the varieties they in - whether genetic , step , foster , adoptive , pet , etc ., mother simply means love .
It ’ s the mother cradling her child until her arms turn into Jell-O , the grandmother mustering the energy to care for her grandkids in place of their biological parents , it ’ s the step-mum fighting for the hearts of her teenage stepchildren , the stranger who scoured the globe to take on the life of an abandoned child , and to a degree , it ’ s also the single father playing both parental roles each and every day ( and the same goes for single mothers on Father ’ s Day ). All-in-all , a mother is a woman who decides to love unconditionally and assume responsibility of a child regardless of attitudes , stress , financial burden , worry , and mounds of dirty clothes on the floor .
I am beyond fortunate to have a beautiful mother who always supports my dreams and shows me love in her own spirited way . She was a single mother who molded 3 strong-willed kids even when she felt herself falling apart . I have a compassionate step-mother who mended wounds and brought our family together , a devout grandmother and aunts who took me in when I was finding my way as an adult , a strong mother-in-law who holds me as close to her heart as her son I married , and it ’ s me – an evolving mother of a 5 year old who is trying to figure out how to do right by her daughter . Mother ’ s Day is every day when you appreciate those women who shaped us , cried with us , laughed at our corny jokes , paid for our lives with their own – and for that , we say thank you ....
Biological mothers , Thank you for creating and loving your child through every breath they take . For being there when no one else is , for kissing boo-boos , and wiping butts . You encourage your children in ways only you can . You inspire them to be better than you by lifting them up . You sacrificed everything to give your kid a good life no matter the
20 | WINTER GARDEN MAGAZINE | MAY 2018