Forget Harry Potter for a moment. There is real magic in the world. And it’s sprinkled everywhere. It’s in you, mama!

This day (Mother’s Day in the United States) always reinforces for me just how magical mama really is. Just watch a babe in utero kick and mama caress her belly. Or remember the first moment you held your baby, radiating love-beyond-compare to this new being. Pure magic!

But Mama can get worn down and tired and sometimes needs to know how much she is loved, how special she is, even if dinner is just peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and the kids haven’t bathed in days.

Mama tends to be her own worst critic, and while I’m all for self-improvement, an important part of doing our best is forgiving and loving ourselves. When we do that, we model some mighty awesome virtues for our own tender saplings too!

So, in the spirit of helping support you in loving yourself as a mama, here is a simple little poem I just composed as an ode to celebrate YOU!

Because the world truly is perfection with mama at the heart!

Mama

The world’s design is perfection
With mama at the heart
Of each babe’s precious life
Joined from the very start.

When sliding out of darkness
The world is filled with light
A mama’s arms to hold
Eyes that shine so bright.

Days, moons, seasons and years pass,
Birthday candles reflect love’s glow
Through life’s discoveries, joys, and falls,
She’s present and always knows

Whether to hug, hold, or watch
To kiss, bandage, or celebrate.
It’s amazing how each mama and child
Are paired perfectly; it must be fate.

Mama is perfection, but not perfect
As she is also human, striving to be
The best she can, and sometimes tired
Or off, but always the right one for me.

Life with mama is a long path
Paved with love and tears and grace.
When one finds a higher power in the universe
No doubt mama reflects God’s face.

While we may sometimes doubt our role as mothers or our ability to live up to our critical and cherished calling, I truly believe we are where we need to be in our lives, and that includes our role as mamas.

So, embrace your magical powers, mama! You are the patient, loving gardener that nurtures your little acorns into mighty oaks!

And love yourself in this vital role, shaping the future world and local leaders of tomorrow! (As poet D.W. Wallace aptly ended one of his poems: “The hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that rules the world.”)

To celebrate my own mama’s hard work over the years, raising my sister, brother, and me, here’s one of my favorite pictures of her. Thanks, mom, for all your love and for showing us the beauty in the world! (And if you’re reading this today, the kids are preparing a hysterical show featuring a performing origami frog for our celebration. We are looking forward to seeing you soon!)

Finally, here’s a shout out to thank all the other mamas in my life who have helped me find my way on my mothering path – especially all my breastfeeding role model mamas, my playdate and homeschool pals, my aunts, grandmas, mother-in-law, and mamas I’ve been “meeting” through the web-o-sphere (that includes all of you awesome mamas commenting on the blog!).

You all rock! And rule! 🙂