Mother's Day. It is, to be sure, a day used by cardmakers and sellers of frying pans to squeeze some more nickels out of our bank accounts.
The day is awash in false sentiment and efforts to pull our guilty heartstrings. But, beyond all that marketing malarkey and ulterior motives lies something true and central to our very beings.
Every study in the world has shown that a mother's love is the most important factor in determining how well a child will do as he or she manoeuvres through an often unforgiving world. Dads, for sure, are equally important when they are involved. But, despite decades of education around sexism, one only has to go to a local playground to see that moms are still making most of the rules - and changing most of the diapers.
We often take moms for granted and realize much too late how much they sacrificed and did for us when we were growing up. So, when a local teacher suggested that we look at his young students' thoughts on why they have the best moms, we jumped at the chance. And we were not disappointed.
"I have the best mother in the whole universe. - She has taught me not to be selfish and share with others. It has helped me make new friends every week." one student writes. Another says, "I know you might be asking, what is the best present that she gave me. Well, she gave me my life, without her this document would've never been written. That is a big sacrifice in life you know."
And if those sentiments don't choke you up a little, turn to page 13 of today's paper and get some more reminders of just how important moms are in some young people's lives.
