To mothers all over: It wasn’t until my wife needed my unconditional full-time attention that I really began to realize and respect just what a ‘mother’ does for her family each and everyday that we ‘men’ seem to take for granted.

From the moment we were married, on my days off from work, I’d make and cook breakfast, and often the dinner meals, do the dishes, help hang out the wash, clean house, do some grocery shopping and make the baby formulas, sterilizing the bottles and (pew) wash diapers.

I hold high admiration for married or single moms who get up early in the day, take care of the children, make breakfast, run to baby-sitter, drive to work or some cases take child to doctor and often being belittled by peers or supervisors at work for doing so, pick up children from school/baby-sitter, rush home and prepare a meal for the entire family, wash dishes, wash clothes, dry, fold and put away neatly organized, clean house; then a voice from the living room chair, “Honey, I’ve had a hard day, can you bring me a beer?”

I’m getting a full shot and taste of just what a mother does. My advantage is, I’m retired.

But from the moment I arise from my bed, put the dishes away from which I washed the night before, administer medications, plan the day’s meals and prepare them, do all that as listed above and drop into bed well after midnight, I’ll tellya’ it’s a daily chore.

When God took that rib from Adam and created Eve, He knew exactly what He was doing. Not for Adam, but for Eve! What a burden He put upon a woman; and for me, proved that a woman is definitely the ‘stronger sex’. God Bless all the woman and mothers of the world on Mother’s Day (and every day)! Where would any of us be without our mothers? I’d hate to think if I had to bear a child, just the pain of it.

“Happy Mother’s Day to all the mommies, grannies, great-grannies.” You certainly deserve all the Kudos and recognitions out there for humanly doing your best… Amen!

Henry W. Walters

Potsdam