Just Thinking . . .

Happy Mother's Day!  (Photo/Bergeron Image)

“Do what you can, where you are, with what you have.”  I came across that straightforward aphorism a few days ago while reading an essay by Catharine A. Henningsen.  She acknowledges that this thought has been around for a long time – nothing new in the scheme of things.

Yet, it embodies such a powerful message that it bears more than just passing attention.  It has the quality of a mantra which, if stored in memory and repeated periodically, can be of great effectiveness in times of pressure and duress.

Henningsen puts it this way:  “Be present.  Do not be where you just came from.  Do not be where you are going next.  Show up and be here while you’re here.”

Most people tend not to think like that:  in this overly complex world, it sounds like too easy a formula.  Interestingly, I think it’s a quality that mothers have, one that becomes virtually necessary in their quotidian lives, as they struggle to meet the demands of their calling.

A Happily Deserved Mother’s Day to All You Moms

Springtime at the Bridgewater Township Administration Building

Recognition and thanks goes out to all of you wonderful ladies in Bridgewater and beyond who have chosen such a noble profession.

Few people call it that, because motherhood doesn’t always fit in with the temper of the times which links success with the amount of bucks accumulated, let alone recognizes this endeavor as a job onto itself.

Nonetheless, the hand that rocks the cradle is truly the one that rules the world, despite any claims to the contrary.  There are only a couple of professions in life which demand such a lifelong commitment of time, energy, and love.  Yet there are few which can be so absolutely and frustratingly demanding, despite the dignity of it all.