Mother’s Day Monarch | Photo by Texas Eagle via Flickr/Creative Commons
Today is my annual homage and toast to the best mothers in the world I know and can reach. You had given so much of yourself and made untold sacrifices, especially in this past year of the pandemic when the earth stood still, and millions of people perished. Mothers are the heroes of the pandemic. Your family is alive and well today because of your vigilance, unwavering care, boundless energy, and unconditional love.
If you are a Mom and a front liner at the same time, you are a superhuman being! While serving others and saving lives, you have not only sacrificed your health but also risked the safety and well-being of your children to whom you must inevitably return after long hours of service to humanity. I can’t imagine the extreme fear that you must be feeling every day when you come home to your own family. There is already a niche in heaven with your name on it! History will remember with sadness the tragedy wrought by COVID-19 but will also look back at it as the mothers’ finest hour. Families survived the most significant health challenge of our lifetime because of you.
I also pay tribute to your own Mom for her precious gift to humanity – bringing such a wonderful person into this world – you! Whether your Mom is still living or is now celebrating Mother’s Day in heaven, she must be feeling immensely proud of you. And I’m sure your family and especially your children feel the same way.
Lastly, we should also reach out and give our love to a particular group of mothers whose hearts break this Mother’s Day. You have to be a Mom to grasp the depth of a mother’s love for her child. It’s an incredible feeling, but it’s also the most significant risk your heart and soul will ever take. It would be the most awkward thing for us to say “Happy Mother’s Day” to a mother whose sweet, precious child was taken away from her either through an accident, sickness, or mass shooting.
I have been in communication with several mothers of young children who lost their young, innocent lives in a school shooting. To hear them share their indescribable pain and how much they miss their precious ones is heart-rending. So while we celebrate Mother’s Day with our beautiful and healthy kids (and grandkids) this year, let us also send our thoughts and our love to the moms who have had a child taken from them all too soon.
Your reactions to this annual tribute may be sent to gusmercadotx@gmail.com
About the Author: Gus Mercado is a 40-year resident of Texas and a well-known Fil-Am business and civic leader in Dallas, Texas. He founded the popular Filipino Leaders Coalition of North Texas (FILCON). He is a recipient of the Presidential BANAAG award for outstanding community service. Reactions to this article may be sent to gusmercadotx@gmail.com.
Disclaimer: The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this column belong solely to the author and do not represent the views of the Philippine Daily Mirror. We reserve the right to exclude comments submitted in response to this article, which is inconsistent with our editorial standards.
