By Lauren Carlson-Vohs

We just held a 90th birthday party for my mom and as we assembled pictures and memorabilia together for the party, it caused me to pause and reflect on how fortunate I have been to have such a wonderful mom. What a gift, what an integral part of my life. The longer I am a mom, the more I appreciate her, for one comes to see the unconditional love, effort and selflessness that go into being a mom.

So I couldn’t resist a treasure on one of my recent thrift-store ventures – a comforting plaque with the wonderful words of Forest Witcraft: “A hundred years from now, it will not matter what my bank account was, or the sort of house I lived in, or what kind of car I drove; But the world may be a little better, because I was important in the life of a child.” What inspiring words for all of us to remember.

Motherhood (parenthood, in general) requires unending sacrifices as parents quickly learn tending to around-the-clock needs of babies. And it takes off from there with the many time demands of our kids’ activities, not to mention riding the roller coaster of their emotional development and regressions – depending on the day.

There is an uplifting article at www.belieftnet.com “For All the Mothers Who …” that honors the many sacrifices and contributions mothers make, particularly mothers who have sacrificed more than many of us ever will. As we pay tribute to Mother’s Day, let us stop to offer our prayers to all mothers, but especially to those who struggle.

The article reflects, “This is for all the mothers of Kosovo who fled in the night and can’t find their children. This is for the mothers who gave birth to babies they’ll never see. For all the mothers of the victims of the Colorado shooting, and the mothers of the murderers. For the mothers of the survivors, and the mothers who sat in front of their 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’s graves. This is for mothers whose children have gone astray, who can’t find the words to reach them.”

The list of sacrifices is endless, yet mothers carry on and few regret the journey. We learn a mother’s love can transcend many challenges. From the initial miracle of conception and birth, the journey of this little soul in our care is a sacred undertaking. And in the process, our own soul is deeply enriched.

At the Web site noted above there is also an article excerpted from Iris Krasnow’s book, “Surrendering to Motherhood: Losing Your Mind, Finding Your Soul.” In it, Krasnow – the mother of four boys, reflects on her journey of motherhood and the wisdom she would offer a daughter, if she had one. She tells of her desire to have it all, to be that super mom we so often hear referred to. But she goes on to tell of the challenges she faced, her less than perfect parenting at times, and the way kids “derailed” her career.

Her experience and insights ring true for so many of us, and the advice for her would-be daughter is so wise: “Don’t let your profession be an obstacle to knowing and loving your family; raising good kids is a noble goal in itself … I’d warn her that being a mother would suck her dry, and that she may fight it and resent it and run away from it like me. But that eventually she would come back, that she should come back, fully and forcefully, and she too would discover a primal and breathtaking happiness.”

What mom hasn’t experienced challenges and many of these emotions? One learns over time to give in to the journey, to accept we don’t have to be the perfect mom or super mom, that our best is good enough. Most parents will tell you they were much less rigid parenting their second child than the first.

Deeply knowing and loving our family, and being there for one another, is the cement that holds this journey together through better and worse. It is what makes the journey so sacred, as we embrace and are embraced. We discover the true meaning and power of love, and what is most important in life. Too often we can take one another for granted and forget to give thanks for what we share.

As an adoptive mom, my daughters have taught me much in this regard. I have personally witnessed their deep longing for their birthmothers and at times, their overwhelming sense of loss. They have both needed reassuring that their birthmothers will never, could never forget about them. I have held them the many times they have cried for her, listened to their precious prayers for her, and shared their hopes that maybe one day she will come to their birthday party.

What deep bond with our moms is forged in utero, genetically encoded into our brain and heart, absorbed through our very cells? How is it that each of my daughters’ favorite foods are those of their native country? We obviously are much more a part of our mother than we sometimes realize, and likewise, our birth children are connected to us in ways not always obvious.

So on this Mother’s Day, let us remember and cherish our moms – whether they are with us or apart, and give thanks for all that they have done and do for us. And let us give motherhood the respect it deserves. For those of us who are mothers, let us never forget the importance and far-reaching impact of the love we offer our family.

 Spiritual writer Lauren Carlson-Vohs shares this space with Dr. Bernard E. Johnson and the Revs. Tim Power, Rod Anderson and Timothy A. Johnson. “Spiritually Speaking” appears weekly.