Love your mom, show appreciation before it’s too late

Shirley J. Davis, Columnist

This past weekend, we took a day to celebrate the women who run our planet: mothers. From the beginning of time the female influence over humanity has held a strong sway, and we do not spend enough time in awe of the many jobs mothers do or have done for us each day.

The word “mother” has no definitive place of origin. Many have tried to pinpoint its beginnings, but have failed. What has been noted is the strikingly similar words used to describe the one who gave birth to and nurtured us. Usually, language can be classified by the splintering into western romance and eastern forms. Interestingly, the word “mother” is universal and sounds much the same in both the east and west and across all cultures.

How much are moms worth? The website salary.com has a calculator to find out how much a mother in the Mattoon/Charleston area would be worth should she be paid a salary. On the website, there are many different factors to take into account like hours spent doing tasks at the home. Mothers in the area net approximately $100,000 a year. That’s from wearing many executive hats spending time feeding, clothing and caring for her children and home. If you add how much mom’s make working an out of home job, the figures increase.

I know what you are thinking, mothers are worth more than we could ever pay them. This is true. With some exceptions, the emotional bonds we have forged with our mothers are formidable. From very early in our existence, we see our mothers as the home base of all our activities. If we are frightened as children, the first thing we do is look for mom, and this behavior goes on into our adult years. Think about it. As adults, when we receive some bad news, our first thought is to pick up the phone and call mom.

It’s only when children reach my age that the true value of a mom becomes clear. I watched my mother grow older and grayer, and one day in June 2014 her voice was silenced forever. Although she and I did not have a good relationship or even a great past, when she passed it felt as though a safety net I had always known was there vanished too. The world felt more dangerous and I felt lonelier than I had ever felt in my life.

As college students, many of you are young enough not to think about the demise of your mothers. To you mom seems to be the one person you can always count on being there in good times and bad.

For any who fit this definition, I have some hard-earned lessons to share.

Visit and call your mother regularly, even when you don’t need her advice or shoulder to cry on. Never forget during those conversations to tell her that you love and respect her.

If you and your mother are estranged, then at least acknowledge her in your words to others and respect the office she holds.

Life is too short to spend time ignoring or despising the one who gave you birth.

Do all the above because one day your mom’s voice will be silenced, and you will wish you could have just one more conversation with her.

In the meantime, cherish every moment you have with mom. She is part of a national treasure that is worth more than money could ever buy.

Shirley J. Davis is a senior psychology major. She can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected].