“It’s been the most amazing experience I could ever possibly imagine,” Prince Harry said. “How any woman does what they do is beyond comprehension…It was amazing, absolutely incredible…I’m so incredibly proud of my wife.”
What a perfect encouragement to all moms this Mother’s Day. You are incredible. You are amazing. How you do what you do truly is beyond comprehension. And this doesn’t just go for new mothers who have just given birth. You continue to deserve such praise as your kids grow into toddlers, teenagers, young adults and beyond. Motherhood continues to be an amazing, incredible and often difficult journey.
I love the upbeat praise Prince Harry gives his wife in this video because I think moms are some of the most susceptible to criticism. Criticism from yourself, from others and from comparing yourself to other moms. You need a day to simply celebrate the good instead of feeling like you’re not enough, feeling guilty or regretting past parenting mistakes that you’re afraid you’ve made.
There’s reason to celebrate even if you think you’ve royally messed up motherhood. Mother’s Day is about celebrating the nurturing heart of a mother that resides in each of us, even if it has yet to be expressed. It’s about celebrating who you are, who you were made to be and who you will be, no matter where you feel like you have fallen short.
Today, moms and women everywhere, remember this:
You are called.
I believe every mother is born to fill a higher calling. Every mother is gifted uniquely and she is to use those gifts to make her world better. A mother uses those gifts in parenting and outside the home in her careers, with her community or in serving and leading others. The question for every mother is: Do you feel you were born for a great purpose? Believing this about your life will inspire not only how you parent but how you live.
You are worthy.
This is a tough one for mothers to believe, but you are worth more than you can imagine. I don’t care if you feel like a lousy mom or you feel fabulous. Whether you’re a workaholic who feels like she never sees her kids or a stay-at-home mom who feels unappreciated, you were made to be the parent of your child. Your performance does not make you worthy. Appreciation and recognition from others does not make you worthy. You are worthy simply because of who you are—a mother who loves her child.
You are loved.
I can confidently say this because, as a pediatrician, my job is to watch you and keep your kids healthy. And when I see them, I see kids who love their mom. I see how your kids look at you, hang on to your knees and hold your hand. I see you more akin to how they see you—as a woman who is loved, needed and cherished.
