I had an idyllic childhood. My mom was effortless, beautiful, full of life in every breath. There were always fresh flowers in the kitchen, beds were made, laundry folded just right, homemade baking—the list goes on. She seemed to float through our family, leaving love notes everywhere. She was strict but just the right kind, and was always planning our next outdoor adventure. When I think of my childhood, a vision often comes to mind of my mom laughing.
When I became a mom myself, I realized how truly incredible my mother was—and how she made my life seamlessly easy and wonderful. I gained this unbelievable respect for her and for the first time in my life, had a true understanding of just how difficult it is to be a mom. It felt like I was getting a peek backstage instead of sitting in the audience.
I finally understood that our sparkling, happy home took so much work. Late nights cleaning the kitchen, endless laundry filled with a million potions to remove stains, meal planning, organizing. Worrying 24/7 about doctor appointments, lunches, new books, runners, spring jackets. Add on today’s societal pressures to stay fit, eat more plants, meditate daily, get outside, be social but also be alone, plan date nights, travel, garden, work hard (in my case, that means running a business), and the load is sometimes unbearable.
I have formed a deep appreciation for my mom and for my fellow moms—truly, for any woman walking her own path and caring for loved ones in her own way. It’s the toughest job on the planet: a job with little to no recognition, and not one you can post on your LinkedIn. But let me tell you: it is a job. And for some of us, it’s the most important one we will ever have.
While my childhood was idyllic, our family’s later years have not come without unbearable challenges. I lost my dad three years ago, which means that today I am here with only one parent: my beautiful, strong, wonderful mother. A woman who constantly reminds me that “life is tough, but so are you.”
Throughout the past three years, a circle of inspiring women rose up and helped carry me through. My sisters, my best friends, my grandmas, my aunts, my mother-in-law, my mom. Mother’s Day is for all of them.
Mother’s Day serves as a reminder of the incredible women walking the planet. Unsung heroes. It’s a day to take a moment, reflect, and tell a woman you love that she’s doing the best she can—that she’s amazing. Because while it may look easy to the audience, it’s insane backstage.
