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Show "Simply' having children does not make mothers," someone has said,' but a good mother is a pearl without price, for a mother's role in maintaining a civil and decent society is incalculable. I say mothers here, not to denigrate the active role played by many fathers in the lives of their children today but in recognition of that fundamental fundamen-tal tie between a mother and , her child between a mother and her children. It is mother who wakes first at night to soothe the fevered brow. It is mother whose kisses are better than Bactine at taking the sting out of the tender skin. It is mother whom you call when things are really, really bad, no matter your age. It is mother who teaches us love. Mothers are our first and our best role models, whose wisdom wis-dom and training guide us through our headstrong teenage years and comfort us when we are older. When I see children of all ages celebrating their mothers on Mother's Day, I am encouraged. encour-aged. It means that many mothers and fathers are overcoming over-coming the difficult challenges placed before them. They are succeeding in building families. They are strong enough, caring enough, supportive enough to fend off the disrespect that surrounds them and who see no shame no shame in following the dictate of the Bible to honor thy mother and thy father. "Honor thy father and thy mother." These surely are families fami-lies that spend time together around the dinner table. I am overjoyed when I see my grandchildren come into my home. They are grown men and women. They still kiss me on the cheek. It does not make any difference how many people are around, they still kiss me on the cheek ' that demonstration of heart felt, genuine love and affec1 tion that can only come from children. Oh, as an aside, I might add, not altogether jokingly, jok-ingly, but also from my little dog "Billy." These are families that spend time around the dinner table. These are families in which the children do their homework, in which parents know their children's teachers and their friends, families in which the members help and encourage and support each other through triumph and tragedy. Senator Robert C. Byrd excerpt from Mother's Day address, May 7, 1998 "Mama exhorted her children at every opportunity to 'jump at de sun.' We might not land on the sun, but at least we would get off the ground." Zora Neale Hurston '7 t -"""Tj If n f' U I' J V """" l ' K C TI p ; I From your hometown newspapers Spanish Fork Press , New Utah Orem Geneva Times |
