Op-Ed: Mothers are Amazing Wonder Women
May 05, 2022
By Cora Jackson-Fossett
Interim Managing Editor
America’s annual celebration of the female species takes place on Sunday, May 8, in the form of Mother’s Day. Designated as a salute to motherhood, families and friends usually plan special events to demonstrate the depths of their appreciation for the matriarchs in their lives.
However, Mother’s Day is not only for women who birthed and raised children, but also includes women who have nurtured others, shared unconditional love and offered ongoing support and encouragement to people – both within and outside their blood relatives.
Being a mother to another person is simply expressing and rendering love through your thoughts, words and deeds towards that individual. Perhaps some of the people in your circle of acquaintances may fit this description and if they do, wish them a Happy Mother’s Day.
In addition to extending well wishes, find other ways to pay tribute to these amazing Wonder Women, who watch your back, pick you up when you fall, listen patiently to your complaining, and readily forgive you when you do wrong.
Truly, mothers are Wonder Women, who give us so much time and energy, yet still emerge as the ultimate multi-taskers – maintaining homes, working jobs, raising families, attending school, mentoring others and simultaneously doing countless other activities, yet always finding time to spread love.
Growing up, I was surrounded by Wonder Women that influenced, inspired and enriched my life. My late mother was one of the first Black female letter carriers in my hometown of Gary, Indiana. Unexpectedly widowed at the age of 40, she worked full-time and successfully reared five children. Although tired from delivering mail, she still helped us with homework, took us on outings, tickled us silly and showered us with hugs and kisses.
Perhaps she learned to successfully juggle lots of things at once from her own mother, a farmer’s wife from Kentucky who raised seven children, ensured that they were educated and taught them the secrets of surviving to adulthood as a Black child in a Southern state. Yes, my grandmother was a Wonder Woman as well as all of my maternal and paternal aunts.
These women weren’t famous by the world’s standards, but they were bigger than life in my eyes. They managed homes and businesses and church activities and professional pursuits and fulfilled a myriad of achievements, yet still gave my cousins and me lots of love all of the time. They will always be Wonder Women in my mind.
And so, on this Mother’s Day, consider the Wonder Women around you and take a moment to let them know how much you appreciate them. In fact, think about celebrating Mother’s Day all year long by commending the Wonder Women you encounter each and every day!