Treasuring the Million Ways to be a Good Mom

“There’s no way to be a perfect mother and a million ways to be a good one.” Jill Churchill

I was at a school event last weekend for mothers and sons. Junior and senior high school boys were invited to attend with their moms. We all dressed up and shared a lovely and meaningful time together.

Toward the end of the event, we watched a video that made us cry as each senior son appeared in a video clip sharing what they had learned from their mom. The variety of answers was striking, and each seemed to fit the young man on the screen. It reminded me of what one mom said, “There’s no way to be a perfect mother and a million ways to be a good one.”

By the time your son or daughter is a senior in high school, you can’t help but wonder at least two things: How did this happen? Have I prepared them to go out into the world? There are, of course, a myriad of other questions and feelings a mom may have at any stage of their child’s development. I have to tell you something, though. When I was sitting at the event, every single son had something to share. Every mom had made a difference in their son’s life, each in their own way. Their way had become a treasure within, something their son could carry with them: the love, the hope, the often untold treasures only a mom can give. The love shared and sown throughout the years remains and grows in ways we may never fully know, see, or understand, but one thing is sure: it is a treasure. It is good.