Mother's Day

I hear of many women who suffer on Mothers Day. Many suffer because they cannot be mothers, many suffer because, even though they have children, they feel neglected on this day, others wonder why they must have children to be worthy of being celebrated. After many years of contemplating this topic I have realized that the celebration belongs to all women. Just the fact that we are born female means that we hold the eternal rights, responsibilities, and blessings of motherhood. Women are endowed with the special abilities to care, love, suffer, and endure. It is for these abilities that we celebrate this day. Sadly, the ones who are in charge of this celebration are not women. In giving women the "day off" it is amazing to me to see how quickly things fall apart and how many hearts are left broken. That is why I wanted to send all of you this lovely poem about womanhood (which is just another word for motherhood).

Motherhood
The bravest battle that ever was fought!
Shall I tell you where and when?
On the maps of the world you will find it not;
'Twas fought by the mothers of men.
Nay not with the cannon of battle-shot,
With a sword or noble pen;
Nay, not with eloquent words or thought
From mouth of wonderful men!
But deep in a walled-up woman's heart
Of a woman that would not yield,
But bravely, silently bore her part
Lo, there is the battlefield!
No marshalling troops, no bivouac song,
No banner to gleam and wave;
But oh! those battles, they last so long
From babyhood to the grave.
Yet, faithful still as a bridge of stars,
She fights in her walled-up town
Fights on and on in her endless wars,
Then silent, unseen, goes down.
Oh, ye with banners and battle-shot,
And soldiers to shout and paise!
I tell you the kingliest victories fought
Were fought in those silent ways.
O spotless woman in a world of shame,
With splendid and silent scorn,
Go back to God as white as you came
The Kingliest warrior born!
~Joaquin miller