Life’s wonders seem to be unlimited. Even as we learn more and more about man, nature and the universe, the mystery grows and expands.
One recent marvel which furrowed my brow is the apparent propensity we have to become less productive as our ability increases and our understanding broadens.
It seems strange that when we are young and striving we produce beyond our knowledge and capacities; but as we gain experience and knowhow, many of us generate an attitude of ‘being owed,’ and our productivity slackens well below our capabilities.
This same phenomenon which exists in vocations can also be observed within the walls of homes and in families.
As the difficulties of child birth have been alleviated somewhat and infant mortality has declined dramatically, the number of children welcomed into families has decreased significantly.
As technological gadgets have made our homes convenient beyond the imaginations of royalty of ages past, the art of homemaking is declining daily.
As the mysteries of successful child rearing are unfolded and revealed to more and more of the earth’s population, our children are with increasing frequency left to the overseer-ship of strangers.
Amid the throngs of humanity we here and there glimpse a ripple made by the valiant employee or the dedicated parent who chooses to stand against the tide of contentment, apathy and stewardship denial.
On the second Sunday in May, as we have continually done each year since Woodrow Wilson made his proclamation in 1914, we pause to give honor and respect to those mothers who are able to see beyond themselves and bring reverence to the title they bear.
I recognize that there is a creeping attempt to celebrate all women on this day, but I think that we can join with the rest of the world and have a day set apart as the Day of the Women, but I believe Mother’s Day should be reserved for those who have paid the sacrifices to so be called.
We venerate those mothers who so live that their children will forever associate that which is gracious and good, understanding and loving, attractive and worthy, with the calling of mother.
We reverence those mothers, who through sacrificing self, welcome infants into their lives, having entered into a sacred partnership with Heavenly Mother, through the process of tabernacling in flesh, their spirit children.
We esteem those mothers who safeguard their children, knowing where they are, with whom they travel and how far they wander and then welcoming them home with warming, embracing arms.
We honor those mothers whose training of children conveys a balance to their lives so that they are able to appreciate the religiousness of science and the logic of religion.
To all those women who could easily have become overburdened by the weightiness of motherhood but choose instead to continue to grow, we thank you on behalf of those yet unborn generations, those you currently nurture and those who are reaping the rewards of your efforts.
We gratefully acknowledge the honor you have earned. By working through your weariness you have perpetuated motherhood as the most beautiful of all arts, the grandest of all professions, the generator of all eternal relationships.
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Sunday, May 6, 2012
GRATEFUL FOR A MOTHER LIKE THAT
I doubt I will ever have a longer lasting relationship during mortality than the one I had with my mother who passed into immortality in May of 2011.
We had sojourned simultaneously in this sphere for 72 years and one month and a few days. There were intervals when the interaction was daily, most of the time it was weekly and infrequently our personal relationships were sparse, but the oneness of a son to his mother was always constant.
I know that my familial experience was somewhat old school, having had parents who remained companions until the death of my father in 1984, and an extended family which had only short periods of minor dysfunction. I had one unusual happening with my mother, in that I had the experience of performing the marriage ceremony as she joined with a second companion for over a few decade of her later life.
The most constant thing about my relationship with my mother was the gratefulness I had for being her son for all those mortal years.
Grateful for a mother, who through love, patience and tenderness taught the joy of bonding which made interdependence in relationships a positive thing, leaving her offspring with the ability and desire to give totally to another without the fear of losing one’s selfness.
Grateful for a mother, who demonstrated through example that happiness could most consistently be enjoyed by those who lived to serve others.
Grateful for a mother, who instilled in the hearts of her children, that no matter how far they may wander from her preferred path she would always have her arms perpetually prepared for a welcome embrace.
Grateful for a mother, who so loved her eternal mate that it was easy to learn that the true merging of two lives in unity came about because each unselfishly strove to help their other half become all that they possibly could be.
Grateful for a mother, who showed that the really valuable things of life were without price while the really pricey things in the world usually ended up being of little value.
Grateful for a mother, who knew that others might not have the same interests, but having variety in one’s activities added to life without subtracting from personal preferences.
Grateful for a mother, who when it was time for a child’s relationship to change from daily to less frequent so that another family unit might come into existence, trusted in her long hours of training, allowing her to let her children go forth into their next phase of life.
Grateful for a mother, who knew that ultimately each of Heavenly Father’s children is accountable for their own choices, mistakes and successes and will receive the consequences for their thoughts, words and actions.
Grateful to a mother, who demonstrated that additional relationships did not need to cause a division of love, but could become the means which helped one to multiply their capacity to love.
Grateful to a mother, who believed in the universal brotherhood of mankind and taught that we need to continually look for the commonalities we share and cherish the strength which comes as a result of our shared differences.
Grateful for a mother, who demonstrated though practice and precept that life is meaningful and the promised joy obtainable.
Grateful for a mother, who lived in such a way that enduring to the end was changed from principle to reality.
As the decades have unfolded in my life I have witnessed evolutionary changes in the idea of what constitutes a family. I know that today there are children being raised successfully in many different types of families, but for me I know my gratefulness will extend into the eternities that I had the privilege of spending my perpetuated probationary days in an old school family with a loving mother who was always there.
We had sojourned simultaneously in this sphere for 72 years and one month and a few days. There were intervals when the interaction was daily, most of the time it was weekly and infrequently our personal relationships were sparse, but the oneness of a son to his mother was always constant.
I know that my familial experience was somewhat old school, having had parents who remained companions until the death of my father in 1984, and an extended family which had only short periods of minor dysfunction. I had one unusual happening with my mother, in that I had the experience of performing the marriage ceremony as she joined with a second companion for over a few decade of her later life.
The most constant thing about my relationship with my mother was the gratefulness I had for being her son for all those mortal years.
Grateful for a mother, who through love, patience and tenderness taught the joy of bonding which made interdependence in relationships a positive thing, leaving her offspring with the ability and desire to give totally to another without the fear of losing one’s selfness.
Grateful for a mother, who demonstrated through example that happiness could most consistently be enjoyed by those who lived to serve others.
Grateful for a mother, who instilled in the hearts of her children, that no matter how far they may wander from her preferred path she would always have her arms perpetually prepared for a welcome embrace.
Grateful for a mother, who so loved her eternal mate that it was easy to learn that the true merging of two lives in unity came about because each unselfishly strove to help their other half become all that they possibly could be.
Grateful for a mother, who showed that the really valuable things of life were without price while the really pricey things in the world usually ended up being of little value.
Grateful for a mother, who knew that others might not have the same interests, but having variety in one’s activities added to life without subtracting from personal preferences.
Grateful for a mother, who when it was time for a child’s relationship to change from daily to less frequent so that another family unit might come into existence, trusted in her long hours of training, allowing her to let her children go forth into their next phase of life.
Grateful for a mother, who knew that ultimately each of Heavenly Father’s children is accountable for their own choices, mistakes and successes and will receive the consequences for their thoughts, words and actions.
Grateful to a mother, who demonstrated that additional relationships did not need to cause a division of love, but could become the means which helped one to multiply their capacity to love.
Grateful to a mother, who believed in the universal brotherhood of mankind and taught that we need to continually look for the commonalities we share and cherish the strength which comes as a result of our shared differences.
Grateful for a mother, who demonstrated though practice and precept that life is meaningful and the promised joy obtainable.
Grateful for a mother, who lived in such a way that enduring to the end was changed from principle to reality.
As the decades have unfolded in my life I have witnessed evolutionary changes in the idea of what constitutes a family. I know that today there are children being raised successfully in many different types of families, but for me I know my gratefulness will extend into the eternities that I had the privilege of spending my perpetuated probationary days in an old school family with a loving mother who was always there.
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