I’m a crossword puzzle fanatic, loving the challenge of completing the trifecta of The Post-Journal’s Jumble, Cryptoquip, and daily crossword puzzle, hoping I can get every circle, code, and box filled in before filing the page in our paper recycle bin. One crossword puzzle clue often used asks for a three, sometimes a four letter word given as “May Honoree.”

The answer they are looking for is mom/moms, which brings us to their day of honor which we’ll celebrate tomorrow.

The title above, from George Washington, pretty much says it all, when it comes to our mothers, step-mothers, foster mothers, grandmothers, godmothers, and single fathers who take on the role of mothers due to tragic circumstances in some families. Everything we are, we owe to our mothers.

Since before we entered the world, and continuing after making our grand arrival, our mothers fed us, protected us, clothed us, sacrificed for us, taught us, entertained us, supported us, worried about us, feared for us, hoped for us, prayed for us, in other words, loved us unconditionally.

In looking at the two mothers I’ve spent the most time with in my life, my mother, Mary, and my wife, Sally, I saw two lives committed to doing all of those things, and more, for their children. And they’re both still doing them, Mom from above, Sally here.

Both made sure their children had all they needed to have a good life. Sometimes there were tears in their own eyes because they might not have been able to give their children all they wanted because of financial restraints, or because they may not have felt that what was wanted was for the best.

So, sometimes they were the “bad” parent in the eyes of their kids.

One of the most amazing things I witnessed from both Mom, and Sally, was the way they could fit, what seemed like 48-plus hours of dedication, driving here and there, cooking, baking, cleaning, sewing, fixing things, laundry, shopping for food, clothes, and whatever supplies the kids needed for school, or whatever activities the kids were in, into 24-hour days.

You can add to that whatever fundraising was going on regarding the kids, or volunteering to make, or bake, food for the sports teams, the band or orchestra concerts or trips, and then making sure my dad and me were also fed, and taken care of too.

Part of what I think we sometimes forget, even though my daughters and sisters are also mothers, and my son, brothers, and me for being fathers is that parenting is a lifetime commitment. It’s been a 24-, or in the case of mothers, 48-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week, 52-weeks-a-year job for every year since their role as parent began, and it will continue long after that parent, be it my parents, as both of them have passed or long after Sally and I are six feet deep. I know my children have, or will, fully come to understand that in their roles as parents now. Love is everlasting. The advice is never ending. They will find themselves, as we have, taking a step back from situations and ask “What would mom do, or have done?” or “What would dad do, or have done?”

So, that brings us to tomorrow’s celebration of Mother’s Day.

It’s right, and fitting, that all mothers be recognized, and all mothers be honored. You might even go so far as to say, all mothers should be canonized too because they are truly saints.

To everyone whose mothers are still with them, call, message, email, text, Facetime, whatever, your mother often, no matter where they are, no matter how busy you are, because rest assured they’ll be thinking of you at that moment, or any moment of the day. And if your mother has passed, every day, raise your eyes skyward, and just say hi to mom.

Happy Mother’s Day to all moms, step-moms, foster moms, grandmothers, godmothers, and dads who fill the role of mom. God Bless you all.