(Once upon a time I wrote a blog for Mother's Day)

You are seen. You are appreciated. You are loved. Fact. And I know you have or will encounter solemn moments where you feel like none of the above is true. Rest assured they are even truer than we can fully articulate.

See, there are many contributions of your time, counsel, discipline, wisdom, courage, and devotion, which each of us can rattle off as a lengthy “thank you” list. No doubt it would be a genuine and heartfelt list. But the truth is it would never stand up against the magnitude of what makes you so incredible.

Do you want to know your most significant contribution as a mom? Each and every one of you out there offers one unarguably unique thing. It’s YOU. Simple as that.

Think about how many ‘how to’ motherhood books are out there sharing the ‘best’ parenting tips, advice, and practices. These resources are all great celebrations of solidarity in motherhood. Still yet, not one of these resources completely captures our relationship. Why is that?

It’s because we didn’t grow to appreciate and love motherhood like mothers have, we grew to love and appreciate our mother. And when you told us time and time again, “just be yourself,” I can’t help but think that you were intuitively living out your own advice. That axiom is all that you knew when no book was suitable and it was the “just being yourself” you that we adore. Your eyes, your voice, your embrace, your encouragement, your soulfulness, your fragrance, your elegance––there is nothing quite like it.

So as you reminisce through all those #1 mom mugs, “my mom is better than your mom” banters, bandaging the boo-boos, and many late-night tear-filled conversations, I hope you can see past all of the regrets and “wish-I-hads.” Parenthetically, we’re sorry for being disobedient brats at times. Today I hope you see this as the truth, we love you for your relationship alone.

Moms, it’s you. It will always be you that we love and admire. We children don’t always proclaim what our hearts have the capacity to say but I promise the thing that we love you so wonderfully for is solely Y-O-U.

If you are a mom reading this, it is with great intention to not diminish these sentiments to one dedicated holiday. You need to hear these words more often. So children of the Internet I plead with you, show and tell your mom how much you love them. And when words fail you, remind them of these truths: You are seen. You are appreciated. You are loved.

In unity, we say:

To stay-at-home moms, you are seen. You are appreciated. You are loved.

To working moms, you are seen. You are appreciated. You are loved.

To single moms, you are seen. You are appreciated. You are loved.

To foster moms, you are seen. You are appreciated. You are loved.

To adoptive moms, you are seen. You are appreciated. You are loved.

To stepmoms, you are seen. You are appreciated. You are loved.

To expecting moms, you are seen. You are appreciated. You are loved.

To first-time moms, you are seen. You are appreciated. You are loved.

To empty nest moms, you are seen. You are appreciated. You are loved.

To grand-moms, you are seen. You are appreciated. You are loved.

To spiritual moms, you are seen. You are appreciated. You are loved.

To mentor moms, you are seen. You are appreciated. You are loved.

To hopeful someday moms, you are seen. You are appreciated. You are loved.

To mourning moms, you are seen. You are appreciated. You are loved.

Grace and peace,