Mothers not only love and support us but also have the power to shape us, guide us and help us determine our trajectory in life. Being a mother is not a 9-to-5 situation. It is a fulltime job with no overtime pay, no vacation days, and no benefits packages. On the contrary, there are plenty of sleepless nights, an endless list of things to worry about and lots of things to take care of, not only when the children are young but throughout their adult lives as well. The job of a mother comes with a hefty burden of responsibilities: to love, shape, guide, protect and nurture a human. As any mother can tell you, once you have a child, your life will quite literally never be the same. There’s a whole other level of responsibility that drives your decisions and shapes your behaviour, 24/7. Becoming a parent is a life-changing experience; it requires you to think about someone other than yourself and to put another person’s best interests above your own. 
In today’s world, as more and more women are entering diverse professional fields, working full-time or part-time, the challenges of motherhood have also become more nuanced. But the job remains the same, and the impact as well: to raise individuals who are assets not just to their families but to the entire society. So even for our women in uniform who sometimes have to go thousands of miles away from home to serve their country, the pain and guilt of leaving their children behind is no doubt a reality, but at the same time for them it is an opportunity to demonstrate to their children that the country comes before all else, for them it is another lesson in values and morals that they impart in their children.
Every year in May we celebrate Mother’s Day, but every day should be an occasion to thank the women who raised us, supported us and loved us unconditionally (not only the ones who gave birth to us) and helped us become who we are. Without the love, guidance and encouragement of these women, each of us would probably not be where we are today, and certainly not as enriched.
One thing is certain: it is not possible to pay our mothers back for what they have done for us and given us. There is no way for us to be able to ever come up with an estimate of how much appreciation we need to show for a lifetime of love and sacrifice from our mothers. If you are of the lucky ones to have their mother still living, make sure to thank her for everything she has done for you; make her favourite breakfast, take her out, give her a bouquet of flowers or write her a personal note, anything that will make her feel acknowledged. Thank her and let her know how much you appreciate her love, sacrifice and support. Regardless of how you plan to celebrate Mother’s Day, be sure to say a special, heartfelt “thank you” to all the mothers in your life. 
Happy Mother’s Day

Nadia Zubair
Email: [email protected]