ASSIST News Service (ANS) - PO Box 2126, Garden Grove, CA 92842-2126 USA
E-mail: assistcomm@cs.com, Web Site: www.assistnews.net


Wednesday, April 30, 2003

HOW MANY MOTHERS ARE IN YOUR FAMILY?

By Bill Ellis
Special to ASSIST News Service

SCOTT DEPOT, WV  (ANS) -- Have you ever counted all the mothers in both your immediate and extended family? It is a good mental exercise and it may bring some surprising results. I begin with my own Mother and move on to my Grandmothers. All of my aunts were mothers and had mothers. All of my uncles had mothers and mothers-in-law and so did my Dad. My sister is a mother and twice a mother-in-law. My brother’s wife is a mother and he had a mother-in-law.

My wife is a mother and that means I had a mother-in-law. Our daughter is a mother and her husband has a mother and my wife is his mother-in-law. My wife’s three sisters are mothers.

You may be getting a little weary trying to count up all the mothers in your family. I have already lost count. Adam and Eve may have been fortunate in that respect. Her cooking was never compared to that of her mother-in-law. Eve’s cooking was the best Adam ever had.

Mother’s Day will soon be celebrated in the United States and Canada. It is always the second Sunday in May. We will honor our mothers living and remember those who have died.

During “Operation Iraqi Freedom”, I watched with sadness as Iraqi mothers wept when sons and daughters were injured and killed. They seemed to express the same emotions as mothers in our country whose children were killed and injured in the war. Mothers seem to be much the same in every country of the world. They love their children more than anything else. Nothing is stronger than a mother’s love.

Mothers also want the best for their children. They easily remember what they received from their own mothers in terms of gifts, lessons taught, the example shown. Most of us live daily by what we were taught by our mothers.

Mothers always believe their children can do better. Most men would be satisfied if they felt like they were living up to the expectations of their mothers. She has always been the one person you wanted to please more than any other. It doesn’t take anything more than a good honest effort to do your very best to make your mother proud.

My seven-year-old grandson, John, recently played in his first “Little League” baseball game. His mother, our daughter Liz, proudly called to tell about this future major leaguer who got two hits. He would have had more, but he only batted twice. I wonder how long it will be before he makes an out.

Mothers have a habit of seeing the best in their sons and daughters. If we should make an out, stumble and fall, skin a knee, get a bump on the head, wreck the family car, lose a girl friend or a boy friend, fail miserably and finally make a mess out of life you can count on one thing. Mother will be right by our side to kiss the place that hurts, offer encouraging advice, lend the helping and lifting hand, and let us know that she still loves us more than anything else in the whole world.

Mothers are full of kind words, funny stories, gentle whispers, delicious cookies, soft caresses, hugs to greet our arrival and to bless our departure, and a sweet voice that can say, “I love you”, better than anyone else.

If your Mother is living, make every possible effort to visit her or talk with her on Mother’s Day. You might also write a personal note and mention all the things you like about her. If your Mother is not living, spend some quality time writing about all the things she did that made a big difference in your life and offer up to God your gratitude for the fact that you had a mother all your own. Mothers are everywhere. Are you still trying to figure out how many mothers are in your family?

As this piece is concluded I think of my mother and mother-in-law, two grandmothers and the mother of my son, Mark, and daughter, Liz. Liz is a public school teacher by professional training and now a home school mother for her four children. She and her husband, Steve, live in Alabama. Liz, you are the most beautiful expression of all the mothers in my life. There is a little bit of each of them in you. They have been superb role models for you and that must be the reason you are such a wonderful Mother.
Bill Ellis is a syndicated columnist, and convention and conference speaker on every continent. He is the writer of more than 1600 columns and widely known as a motivator utilizing enjoyment of life and just plain fun and laughter while speaking to high school, university and professional sports teams as well as to business and professional groups of all kinds. His keen understanding of human problems make him a favorite speaker for youth, parent, and senior adult meetings. He is accompanied by Kitty, his wife, favorite singer, editor and publisher.

For information on becoming a subscriber to the Ellis Column for your newspaper or magazine, you may contact him at: BILL ELLIS, P.O.Box 345, Scott Depot, WV 25560 or by calling: 304-757-6089.
** You may republish this story with proper attribution.
Republishers: Please take a few minutes to fill out our questionnaire and help us serve your needs.
   Send this story to a friend.