Motherhood: Honoring a Noble Profession

The Power of Motherhood

Sarah Josepha Hale, an American pioneer and writer in the early 18th century claimed: "There is no influence so powerful as that of the mother." Indeed, it is that very power that makes celebrating moms so compelling. For we as mothers have the distinct privilege of playing a major role in the creation of new life. That we alone possess the physical nature unique for the job is an honor of breathtaking proportions. Beata Rank-Minzer, an well-known psychoanalyst and friend of Sigmund Freud, said, "A mother is the medium through which the primitive infant transforms himself into a socialized human being." Yes, we are the life bearers, the nurturers, the nose-wipers, storytellers, and skinned-knee kissers.

Yet we are so much more. We are the ones who bring a child into his own. We are the ones who provide examples of honesty so that our children grow up to be honest, and examples of tolerance so that they will be tolerant. We encircle them with love so they will be loving.

We hold in our hands the power to shape their world, to model integrity and morality. We have the power to inspire an ethical renaissance, starting one child at a time, in our very own homes. Motherhood offers us the challenge of raising a whole generation to greatness. We do it not only out of love … or duty. Our babies bring out the best of what we have to give. It's hardwired into our DNA. They demand every ounce of our energy, and we give it. Every test of our patience, and they receive it. Every fiber of our being becomes transformed into designs unknown before motherhood.

The Call to Motherhood

Motherhood presents us with the greatest creative challenge ever known. For it is up to us—in large part—to discern what unique gifts and talents were given each child and how to make them known to the world. It is our job to develop each child to his fullest, to bring out his best, to nurture each talent, to find that creative genius residing in each one of our kids and let it explode into the universe. Motherhood is, then, the most challenging and honorable profession. It is a calling of noble stature.

That we can take a newborn babe—and with generous nursing, limitless rocking, and endless nurturing—raise a child full of infinite optimism and opportunity, continues to both fascinate and scare me to death. The responsibility is so huge, the challenge so great, the cost so enormous, yet the payment so full. We work, after all, in the very center of the universe to shape human destiny.

So be it dark chocolate bars, croissants and fresh strawberries, piping hot coffee with the perfect amount of cream … or dinner out, pink roses in a cut crystal vase, and a backrub … we moms deserve unconditional love, unparalleled attention, and unerring devotion at least for one day.