Fw: Fwd(2): Fw: Mothers

[Guest guest]

momsIf you send this to just one person, it should make it all the way aroundby Mother's Day.)This is for all the mothers who have sat up all night with sick toddlersin their arms, saying, "It's OK honey, Mommy's here."Who walk around the house all night with their babies when they keepcrying and won't stop.For all the mothers who run carpools and make cookies and sew Halloweencostumes. And all the mothers who DON'T.This is for the mothers who gave birth to babies they'll never see. Andthe mothers who took those babies and gave them homes.This is for all the mothers who froze their buns off on metal bleachers atfootball or soccer games Friday night instead of watching from cars, sothat when their kids asked, "Did you see me?" they could say, "Of course,I wouldn't have missed it for the world," and mean it.This is for all the mothers who yell at their kids in the grocery storeand swat them in despair when they stomp their feet like a tired 2-year oldwho wants ice cream before dinner.This is for all the mothers who sat down with their children and explainedall about making babies. And for all the mothers who wanted to but justcouldn't.For all the mothers who read "Goodnight, Moon" twice a night for a year.And then read it again. "Just one more time."This is for all the mothers who taught their children to tie theirshoelaces before they started school. And for all the mothers who optedfor Velcro instead.This is for all the mothers who teach their sons to cook and theirdaughters to sink a jump shot.This is for all mothers whose heads turn automatically when a little voicecalls "Mom?" in a crowd, even though they know their own off spring are athome.This is for all the mothers who sent their kids to school with stomachaches, assuring them they'd be just FINE once they got there, only to getcalls from the school nurse an hour later asking them to please pick themup. Right away.This is for mothers whose children have gone astray, who can't find thewords to reach them.For all the mothers who bite their lips sometimes until they bleed - whentheir 14 year olds dye their hair green.What makes a good Mother anyway?Is it patience? Compassion? Broad hips? The ability to nurse a baby, cookdinner, and sew a button on a shirt, all at the same time?Or is it heart?Is it the ache you feel when you watch your son or daughter disappear downthe street, walking to school alone for the very first time?The jolt that takes you from sleep to dread, from bed to crib at 2 A.M. toput your hand on the back of a sleeping baby?The need to flee from wherever you are and hug your child when you hearnews of a fire, a car accident, a child dying?For all the mothers of the victims of all these school shootings, and themothers of those who did the shooting.For the mothers of the survivors, and the mothers who sat in front oftheir TVs in horror, hugging their child who just came home from school,safely.This is for mothers who put pinwheels and teddy bears on their children'sgraves.This is for young mothers stumbling through diaper changes and sleepdeprivation.And mature mothers learning to let go.For working mothers and stay-at-home mothers.Single mothers and married mothers.Mothers with money, mothers without.This is for you all.So hang in there.Please pass along to all the Mom's in your life."Home is what catches you when you fall - and we all fall."Please pass this to a wonderful mother you know.I just did.