It’s officially May: The month of warmer weather, bright flowers, school graduations and, of course, Mother’s Day. The month of May was named after the Greek goddess Maia, who symbolized fertility, so it’s a fitting month to honor our mothers.
Mother’s Day is a once-a-year opportunity to show our appreciation and gratitude for what our moms have done for us. I am not a mother yet, but as I age through my 20s, I’m becoming more and more appreciative of the hard work and challenges of motherhood.
I was the youngest of three siblings until five years ago, when I was blessed with my little sister, Lila. Finally becoming a big sister was great. I was able to spoil and tease her, just like my siblings did to me when I was younger. I also became an aunt three years ago to a little ball of energy, my nephew, Emil.
Lila and Emil are both wonderful kids, but they can quickly become a handful. Case in point: My boyfriend, Alex, and I recently took them to the circus. It was a beautiful Saturday afternoon, and everything was going great. They were fascinated by the animals and hypnotized by all the bright, flashing lights. But 45 minutes into the show, Emil started getting antsy. It was like watching a ticking time bomb. It started off slowly, but soon that restless time bomb finally blew!
Alex and I took turns taking Emil outside to blow off some energy, and before we knew it, the show was wrapping up. We had missed half of it. While my nephew was running around outside, I noticed all the mothers around me in the same boat. They were missing the show as well because their kids were too antsy, hungry, tired, etc.
These moms didn’t look annoyed or bothered; they were busy playing with their children, running after them, or swaying fussy babies back and forth to help them fall asleep. You could see how much they loved their kids and didn’t seem to mind that they were missing the show. They were where they needed and wanted to be.
Don’t get me wrong, I love my nephew, but it was a relief knowing I would be able to drop him back off with his parents and be released of my “motherly duties!” Even though it was only a few hours, it was exhausting trying to keep those little human beings alive, fed and happy.
Experiences like our circus outing make me appreciate all mothers, especially my own. My mother is my superhero. She has overcome huge milestones, achieved anything she put her mind and energy to and put up with so much raising the four of us. She has made me the person I am today, and I try to appreciate her every day — not just on Mother’s Day.
So to all of you moms out there taking your kids to the circus and missing the show, thank you for all that you do. Your kids might not remember the clowns and acrobats, but they will always remember how you were there for them. I hope you all get a well-deserved nap on Mother’s Day (I know I needed one!).
Ashley Jabaly
Graphic Designer
Washington FAMILY Magazine
