To Honor Mothers

Tomorrow is Mother's Day. In thinking about this day, I realized that I know a lot of mothers and that they are a diverse crew.

First, there are the traditional mothers. I actually don't know very many of those, perhaps because I am not one. My mother fits that category. She and my father are going to celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary next month. Not many people can say that. I have a few other friends who are what one might call traditional mothers - married to their first husbands, mothers of children by that husband, and living happy lives in suburbia.

While I definitely appreciate and honor the traditional mothers, I am in many ways more moved by the non-traditional ones.

I have several friends who are stepmothers, including my sister. It's not easy to become a mother to a child who already has one. Some stepmothers have to step in and become the mother for the child, whatever the reason. Some stepmother have to tread that difficult line of being there for the children in their lives without taking over a full parenting role. Either way, it's not an easy role and yet, with divorce as prevalent as it is and more men wanting to continue to be involved in their children's lives, there are many women who are in this important role.

Other mothers I know have adopted children. My extended family has become quite diverse from these situations. One cousin and his wife adopted twins from Guatemala and a little girl from New Orleans. Another cousin and her husband adopted a boy (not a baby, but a boy) from Russia. It takes a special person to adopt a child.

The last category of mothers in my life are the most non-traditional. They are the fosters and caretakers of animals. Now, you might argue that being a foster parent to an animal is not the same as taking care of a child. And in some instances that may be true. I myself have been a foster mom to kittens several times, and I wouldn't necessarily equate that to being a mother of child - even if I did have to worry about their growing up, their health, and getting home promptly to take care of them. But many of the fosters of animals that I know are fostering animals who need special care. Maybe they have a health problem. Maybe they have a behavior problem. Both of these situations require more devotion than that of an average pet-parent. Mothering, if you will.

So on this Mother's Day, I say thank you to all the mothers - whatever their situation. Regardless of the other being - human or animal - in their care.