I Was Born A Mother

Some people are born salesmen.  Some are born rock stars. And then there are the born winners and of course.....the born losers.  I was born a mom.  This is something I realized only recently.

I have been a business woman longer than I have been a mom.  I have been self-employed since the 1970's.  As much as I love the challenges of business; in my heart, I am a mom.

My own mother was quite ill when I was born and from a very young age I learned how to care for the sick.  I was her legs -- running little errands for her when she could not.  I was her eyes - reading to her for hours when her head pain would not permit it.  I was her friend who cuddled with her to make her feel better.  When the suffering was too intense I was asked to leave the room so she could rest.  I would leave, crying.  I needed to make her better - thus my need to nurture was born.

My greatest desire when I 'grew up' was to be a mom so try to imagine what it was like to hear these words from three different specialists when I was in my twenties.  "I am so sorry but there is not one chance in one million that you will ever bear children.  If we don't do a hysterectomy, you will surely die."  By now you have figured out that I'm neither dead nor barren. My wish came true.  I'm a mom to a beautiful daughter and son.

What makes you a mom?

In addition to my own children calling me mom, a lot of other people do also.  Although I got a kick out of it when I was 'mom' to all my teen-aged daughter's friends, it didn't stop there.  People only a few years younger than me started calling me Mom.  It's always difficult when I am in a store and hear someone call out "Mom..."  I go running to see who needs me.  It's especially embarrassing when I reach the child before their own mother does!

Why do people call me Mom?  I don't dress like a frumpy old lady.  I certainly don't 'think' old and most of the time I act more like a kid than a grown woman.  So....why am I called Mom?

Don't know.  Don't care.  What I do know is when someone needs to talk to someone about an intimate problem, I get a phone call.  When someone needs a shoulder to cry on, I get a phone call. When life becomes overwhelming or trauma strikes, I get a phone call.  I have learned how to listen. I know how to hug.  I cry when someone hurts and shout for joy when they win.  Isn't this what being a mom is really about?

During the years I home schooled my children and also ran my business from my home, I was often asked "What do you do?"  I could have responded by sharing something about my business but I loved this response instead.  "I am responsible for creating an environment of love, joy, peace, beauty and order in my home.  I am training a future citizen of America.  What do you do?"  

And as every woman who loves being a mom would tell you  -- I would do ANYthing for my kids.  I would go ANYwhere to protect them.  No mom could love their children any more than I love mine. I was born a mom.

This same desire to nurture extended to dogs and over the past few decades, my husband, daughter and I have rescued numerous pets from certain death to a life where they were loved and nurtured to health.

Have you fulfilled your calling?  Were you born to be a mom or a rock star... or BOTH?