5-14-2023 3:23am

Happy Mother's Day - it's more than a day of the gifts

Victoria Santos and her daughter Olivia Robinson, a few years ago

Since 1846, according to the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, the word "mom" has been used to describe someone who is a "female parent." I honestly was shocked when I read this and it's the #1 definition on their website for the word "mother." I would have thought "mentor, unconditional love, strong-willed, sassy, or thoughtful" would have been some of the words of the definition. Nope, female parent is what they have.

In the Bible, Jesus speaks of honoring our mothers. Proverbs 31:28-29 says:

"Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all.”

Former President Abraham Lincoln once spoke this about his mother:

“All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel mother.”

We all hear and see people saying that the younger generations don’t respect their parents or don’t value their parents.

Recently, I reached out to a few young people in our area who could not have been more enthusiastic about speaking of honoring and respecting their mothers.

Aundre Pilgrim,
Hononegah High School student-athlete, said, “I feel like my mom is the very image of a loving mother who cares for us three siblings as if we were her own. She is always there to help me up and urge me on when I’m down. Thinking of her smiling and being amazed by my achievements makes me want to work harder.”

Hononegah High School student-athlete Olivia Robinson said, “My mom is honestly like my best friend. It's been just us for a long time and I am so grateful for her. If I could describe her in three words: hardworking, loyal, and caring. My mom definitely brings lots of laughs to my life but a lot of wisdom as well."

In 1999, the Backstreet Boys ended their third studio album Millennium with a song entitled “The Perfect Fan.” In that song they talk about all the small things moms do and that we sometimes take for granted. One line stands out to me every time I listen to it: “It's not the big things, but the little things.”

To all those who have the honor and gift of being a mother: I hope it is every thing you hoped it would be when you first looked into your child’s eyes.

A huge thank you goes out to Sally Pilgrim, Victoria Santos, and Alicia Bone for raising some great kids and along the way showing them how to be caring, encouraging people in this ever changing and tough world.

Photos and information provided by Aundre Pilgrim and Olivia Robinson.