Treasuring motherhood

Julie Beck, Relief Society general president, said, "Oh that every girl and woman would have a testimony of her potential for eternal motherhood.... Female roles did not begin on earth, and they do not end here. A woman who treasures motherhood on earth will treasure motherhood in the world to come..."

I've been thinking about that the last few days. Do I treasure motherhood? I don't think I have treasured it the way, or as often, as I should. Sometimes I see motherhood as a frustrating burden, quite honestly. But if I think it's frustrating here, I'm certainly going to think it's frustrating as my role expands into the eternities, with far more children making far more mistakes than mine currently do. So I'd better change my perspective. Whether or not I treasure something is a state of my mind-- I can either focus on the difficulties and frustrations or I can focus each day on the blessings and the opportunities of motherhood and be truly grateful for them. Being a great mother, one who teaches and guides and loves her children, is the best way to impact the world for good. What a sacred role we have! What an exciting opportunity!

This morning, I woke to find a decorated card envelope laying on my laptop (obviously my children know where I spend a majority of my day...). It said, "to mommy (the Best mom)" and was decorated with drawings of hearts, flowers, a bird, and a butterfly. Inside was a card with the most beautiful note I've ever been given as a mother. It read:

"Dear mommy,
I'm just writing this for you because I wanted to thank you for all you have done for Emeline & me. Love your eldest child."

At the top of the card, he drew a picture of me and wrote above it "you take care of me".

He also included a piece of paper with the following poem:

Just for you
by J.D. Cheney

Just for you,
Careful & kind in all you do.
So this poem is for you, good & new.
You are nice,
cute as mice.
You play games with Dice,
while we eat yummy Rice.
So that means that.
This is just for you, Mom.

Wow! I don't think I've treasured motherhood as much as I did in the moment I read that! How amazing that my 8 year old boy appreciates me! It fills me with so much joy! Motherhood is my greatest blessing! How grateful I am that I have my two kids. It is my most important work to help them become amazing people. And they have come to me with so many amazing traits already-- so hopefully I do my job right and help them develop those traits and gain new ones. What a great opportunity and responsibility. I pray that I will be up to the task. I pray that all of us mothers will be. We are the determinants of society. We are building and developing the future of our civilization. We are preparing our youth for the challenges that will come in their lives, both personally and in the world at large. What an awesome (in the true sense of the word) responsibility. Mothers really are sacred.

Of course, I in no way mean to downplay the role of the father-- fathers play a vital and sacred role as well. But that's a post for a different time (and probably a different person since I'm not a father...).

So, do I treasure motherhood? Yes. It is truly my greatest treasure. I am sincerely grateful to be a mother.