Dear Friends,,

    As an avid gardener, I make it a point to enjoy the fruits of spring.  So, when I take a break from my daily routine, I often opt for a walk in a nearby park.  I love to take in the fragrances and spectacular colors of the flowers and vines in bloom.  However, during a walk earlier this week, my attention was drawn to a different sort of little one along the path, a young boy.

    He looked to be about four and was holding a ice-cream rcup he had picked from the edge of the path.  His mum was scolding him a bit about park etiquette, and when she bent down to get eye-to-eye with him, he presented her with the slightly crushed ice-cream cup..

    The mum took the flower and hugged the little boy tightly.  Then they hopped up, she took his hand, and they skipped down the path together.  It was a touching scene, Friends,, that brought back memories of my own childhood and of my mum.

    I remember my mum scolding my brother or myself one moment and then hugging us the next.  She was constantly tending to us in some fashion, coming to school to bring a lunch or homework paper that had been left behind.  She always seemed to be prepared, ready with a plaster when one of us had a skinned knee, or armed with a nightlight when we were scared of the monsters in the closet.

    Of course, my mum, like most mothers, was not perfect, but there was no denying her nurturing spirit and her willingness to put our needs above her own.  She did what she could to teach us to be responsible and productive in our endeavors.

    Motherhood is a little different today.  Today's mothers balance a more hectic lifestyle.  These contemporary mums manage to get their children to school and other activities, to have dinner on the table, help with homework, get kids bathed and ready for bed, read the bedtime stories, check the closet for monsters and close the day with a playful tuck-in and goodnight kiss.  And plenty of them have jobs outside the home as well!

    Friends,, the next time you see a mum struggling with an infant, a toddler, a grocery bag, or a shop door, I hope you will take a moment to stop and help her out and let her know what an important job she is doing.  Now as May is the month to honor mothers, I hope you'll join in sending love and support to all mothers, both present and past!