Motherhood

Motherhood, undoubtedly is one of the highest callings and most cherished, beautiful positions in life.

But-have you ever thought how strange that is?

Let me clarify.  The general tendency of human beings is to work to provide for our basic needs (food, clothing, shelter).  If we have obtained these, we work to make life better or easier.  Many people can more than amply pay for their basic needs with their 9-5 jobs, but they work so they can enjoy life; travel, eat good food, provide entertainment, etc.  For some it might even go beyond themselves and they work sleepless nights to find a cure for cancer or solve the current economic problem, whatever, all to make life easier and better.

Consider motherhood.  Mothers give away all rights to themselves, from the shape of their body to their precious hours of sleep; nothing is sacred.  They work endless days not to make life easier; a mother's day is never over, even when her child is out of the home, her thoughts always are for him.  Her heart and her hands will never rest until she has done all she can for her child.  Motherhood has no rest, no vacation, sacrifice with little gain.

Oh, but love!  Love is the driver and motivator.  Love is the power which so overwhelms mothers that they will give everything for the one they bore.  Yes, I will not argue with this, but there is something else which drives these women.  Something that most people recognize, but which, to me, is so mysterious and wonderful.

Maybe it's instinct; everyone has seen little girls play with baby dolls, no one is the more popular lady in the room than she who has a baby.  Many girls dream of being mothers, as some dream of being famous or getting married, we plan and talk about baby names before we're even married (no I know I'm being stereotypical, just roll with me).  But the instinct of motherhood is stronger than anything else I've seen.

The other day one of my students (she' 35) was in tears reading a story about a baby because she cannot have anymore children (she has one beautiful daughter).  We were n't talking deeply about it, but just thinking about a baby woke in her that strong desire that can never again be fulfilled.  Tears.  Sobs.  Nothing was taken from her, she didn't loose anything, but she knows there is something she can never gain.  Sobs over not being able to give her body and life over again for someone else.  For a creature that never existed.

I also know many women who are desperate to get married.  Why?  Not because they want a husband to love and cherish them, because they want children.  Because they want to lay themselves on the altar, to nurture and care for a little one they've created.

Think about adoption.  In many cases it costs many thousands of dollars to adopt a child, people spend their life savings.  I haven't done research, but I would bet, for couples who do this, the great motivator was the wife and her yearning for children to care for.

I'm not at all ridiculing these actions, it's beautiful!  It's a wonderful and beautiful power that drives so many women to need to pour out their love for something they've created.  Even more than this, however, it reminds me of God.  If we were created in His image, surely these beautiful "instincts" must be a reflection of Him.  Just as many say a man's desire to pursue and provide reflect God's love for us, so must a woman's to love and nurture, too kiss and hold, to wait patiently and forgive endlessly, to love eternally without gain (or, with the greatest gain, for what greater gain can a mother have than to receive the love of her children.  Even so, He says "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you.  Now remain in my love."