Mothers

Sometimes, mothers wake up grumpy.

Other times, they wake up in a foul mood.

Sometimes they call to their children from bed,

"There's cereal in the cupboard and milk in the fridge.

Don't spill the milk. I don't want to clean up a mess

When I get up. . . . .

 . . . . ..  . . . If I get up."

Sometimes mothers say stuff that makes no sense

Like, "Eat the old fruit before the new fruit."

And, "Shut the door! Were you born in a barn?"

And, "Are your legs broken?"

And, "Someone better be bleeding."

Sometimes mothers embarrass their children.

in front of their friends

by saying something like,

"Bring your jacket, it's going to get chilly."

And, their kids roll their eyes and say, 

"Mooooooommmmmmmm!"

And mothers say, "I'm sorry. 

When you get older,

work it out with your therapist

the way we all have to."

Sometimes, life is hard

and, relationships are complicated

because we're human.

Sometimes we mess up

and betray each other

and our best selves.

Sometimes blood isn't thicker than water.

Being a mother is more than biology.

It's a work in progress best accomplished

in spite of biology, or in the absence of it

not perched on a pedestal

but right here,

in the middle of the middle of life

where the rest of humanity dwells

close to tissues to wipe noses a little too hard

and tie sneakers a little too tight

and button sweaters a little too high

and say, "Don't slam the door" a little too loud

and sometimes forget to say, "I love you"

even when they were thinking it

but were busy putting in another load of clothes.

Being a mother is the toughest job you'll ever love.

I suspect even the Mother of God had her days. 

c Elizabeth Kaeton