Best Mom Award Goes To…You!

They all have their own style, stumbled on obstacles, pumped their fists at successes. The common thread, to try and be the best possible person for their children.

I don’t think it’s harder to be a Mother today than it was a generation, two generations, or even 10 generations ago. Every generation has its challenges that seem more insurmountable than the generation before. Mothers in general, have the best job in the world. I didn’t say the easiest, I didn’t say the toughest. I said the best. Trying to create, encourage and teach little people into becoming productive, motivated, nurturing, and caring big people is nothing short of inspiring.

I’m not the best mom, the mistakes I’ve made have been large and numerous. When I look at my children and see their successes I’m elated that maybe I helped shape those decisions that created their success. When I see them fail, I blame their father 🙂 I’m just kidding! When I see them fail, I really do wonder if there was something more I could have taught them to make a better choice. Inevitably at some point in this process, I do realize that my job to some extent, is done and that their choices and their lives are their own. They get to own their success or failure, made by their choices, and that I simply gave them a unique platform of filters to guide them.

Watching your child struggle or make a really poor choice is when you as a mother find out what you’re made of. I just watched a video of the riots in Baltimore. A mother discovered her son, all covered up and throwing rocks at police. She grabbed her son and forcefully removed him from the situation. She tried to take off his hat, exposing him to the world, saying if he was going to do what he was doing, he was going to let the world see his face doing it. I am so struck by this woman and believe her to be a fierce mother, the epitome of a  fantastic mother. It’s what women do in varying degrees all over the world, throughout cultures, races, religions, and generations. Teaching your child right from wrong. It may not look like the popular way to do it but at very least, a metaphoric slap upside the head may be exactly what’s needed to get the message across. I applaud her effort to try and not lose her baby to the abyss.

I know a lot of beautiful mothers, I have never met a perfect mother but that’s never been their job. They are the foundation of the world. They have the ability to empower the generations to come. The women I know are unique, they are imperfect, they are amazing, they are broken, they are powerful, they are self-conscious, they are so much stronger than they think. My mother, my sister’s, my best friend, the basketball moms, the moms that volunteer and run the charities, my aunties, my grandmothers, my friends, to all you fierce Mother warrior’s I wish you the most sincere and heartfelt Happy Mother’s Day!