Each May, we set aside a single day to “honor” mothers. It arrives with flowers, cards, French toast breakfasts in bed, and social media reels of smiling women holding handmade gifts. But beyond the brunch menus and Pinterest-perfect parties lies something far more sacred: the calling of motherhood.

And yet, somewhere along the way, society told us not to aspire to this.

We were encouraged to chase degrees, climb ladders, and find our fulfillment in boardrooms and badges. And to be clear, there’s nothing wrong with ambition. But somehow, motherhood became the thing we were told to fit in after we made something of ourselves. Being “just” a mom was never meant to be the dream.

The sacred was made mundane. The role that shapes souls and knits generations was reduced to soccer schedules, carpools, and themed party favors. The work of nurturing hearts and tending homes got stripped of its dignity—and turned into a punchline.

But mothering is not secondary. It is not less than. It is not a fallback.

It is eternal work.

Whether biological, adoptive, spiritual, or surrogate, mothering is soul-shaping, world-changing, and deeply human. It’s the unseen labor of love that echoes long after the world stops applauding.

Still, for many, this day isn’t a celebration. It’s a landmine.

It may reopen wounds for those who have lost their mothers, who ache to become one, who are grieving children, or who bear the weight of fractured relationships. While some gather with laughter and gifts, others are quietly breaking.

So today, let’s be gentle with one another.

Let’s resist the temptation to showcase perfection and instead reflect on the deeper meaning of this role. Let’s honor the calling, not the consumerism. Let’s remember that while we smile, someone else may be silently mourning.

And above all, let’s bring dignity back to motherhood—not as an afterthought, but as a cornerstone of society.

Happy Mother’s Day to the mothers who show up, the women who long to, and the ones who mother in unseen, untraditional ways. You matter.