Being a mother is the most difficult and the most rewarding job there is. It’s a lifetime career that starts the moment you know you’re expecting.

Sometimes, moms wonder if they’re getting through. Are they making a difference? Do their kids appreciate them? The answer is “yes,” as illustrated by the 101 stories in Chicken Soup for the Soul: Mom Knows Best: 101 Stories of Love, Gratitude & Wisdom

Here is a quick look at two things grown children say they understand and appreciate about the women who helped them as kids and as adults, certain to be inspirational to mothers, grandmothers, stepmothers, mothers-in-law, and honorary mothers everywhere:

Mothers are often our most important role models.
Weston Collins’ mother told him magical, creative stories every night, all the product of her fertile imagination. When he asked her where he could find stories like that, she explained that hers weren’t found in any books, but that he could write his own. She died when he was only nine, but her influence persisted. Today, Weston is a science fiction writer, with many books to his credit. “Now the world can share story time with my mom,” he says.

No matter how much we protest, we will end up acting like our mothers.
“I had the best intentions not to turn into my mother,” says Randi Mazzella. The embarrassing way her mother was dressed when she picked her up at school, the “stupid” rules she enforced, the music she listened to—Randi was going to be different. Until she found herself doing all the same things as her mom, because that’s what works. “I found out that turning into your mother is sometimes inevitable,” admits Randi. “So, yes, I’ve turned into my mother, and my kids are darn lucky I have.”

Happy Mother's Day!


Amy Newmark