“Motherhood Is: Giving A Piece of Yourself”
Motherhood is exemplified by my friend who helps immigrants learn English. An African man is now a citizen of the United States because my friend helped him pass his citizenship test. Although she longs for children of her own, this woman is a mother to many people.
Motherhood is a single lady in Canada who took my two siblings and me to get ice cream when we were young—just because she wanted us to feel special. She would call my mom up regularly and ask if she could play with us for a few hours.
Motherhood is my sister-in-law, who not only gives the best gifts (such as cribs and chairs that she's refurbished), but never tires of playing with the nieces and nephews. My two year old asks for her aunt nearly every morning when she wakes up. This amazing sister-in-law is loved as much as any mother could be.
Motherhood is a wonderful woman who has spent hundreds of hours training guide dogs for the blind. Comet, the dog that I was able to train, taught me more “hands on” parenting skills than I could have learned anywhere else! It is because of my guide dog leader that I learned these lessons.
Motherhood is my mom who taught be, “D.Y.B, D.Y.B, D.Y.B—Do Your Best”. Although her own mother disowned her, my mom has shown great strength and courage. She raised us in three different countries where she struggled with homesickness, language barriers, and loneliness but she never gave up.
I now have a little girl of my own and I struggle sometimes to know how to be a good parent. However, because of the women in my life, I know that motherhood is not necessarily about bearing children. Motherhood is giving a piece of yourself to those you love.