I have seen and been around many others in my lifetime, some who have been closer than others for obvious reasons, but there are hundreds of reasons, maybe thousands, and roles in life that seem to have the words mother, mom, or any other matriarchal noun attached to them, noting how special mothers are in our lives.

I guess I can start with the word mother itself. A woman who gives birth to a child and commits to loving, caring, feeding, raising, teaching, protecting, and worrying about their child, can proudly wear the Crown of Motherhood. In those seven verbs, is added so many other roles, duties tasks, that mothers take on to make sure, in their minds, their child, and/or children grow up to be the best that they can be, along with being strong, happy, kind, safe, and become good parents themselves (if they choose to have children), and a positive example to others through their entire lives. Another word we can talk about is the nick for mother, that being Mom. Mom doesn’t exactly include giving birth to a child, but accepting a child into their lives and hearts and does the same as a mother does, making them real mothers in my eyes. You can take all said in the last paragraph and apply it to mom, as well, as you can for the word ma, mommy, mama, and/ or any other ways we address those women who have unselfishly assumed the roles of motherhood.

If you attach the word grand to mother, you get grandmother. Grandmothers are mothers who have done the hardest part of being a mother, and can now continue with all the other duties, not necessarily in the same manner, because in most cases it isn’t day to day contact, and in a lot of cases (I’d even hazard a guess it’s in a whole lot more situations) grandmothers (or grandmas, or grannies, or memaws, or nanas, or whatever word of endearment we have used to refer to our grandmothers), are probably saying “yes” to the question, “Can I have a cookie?”, or “Can I have some candy?”, whereas, when they were moms, the answer was pretty much a “no.”

Then there are step-mothers, and/or step-moms, foster-mothers or foster-moms, and/or god-mothers or god-moms, dads who play dual roles in their families, all who, in some way shape or form, take on part, to all, mother roles, responsibilities, and get to take pride in being a huge part of motherhood as children grow up.

Sometimes we may come in contact with den mothers, team moms, room mothers or room moms, housemothers, and terms like mother figure, and mother image that refer to, or have some connection to that person in our lives who are so special, so important, so invaluable, and who without them, we’d never be able to have this life that we’ve had on this earth.

In my lifetime, I’ve come across so many of these people who have a connection with things with whom I’ve been connected, and who, without their help, I would never have been able to do so many things I have enjoyed doing.

I’ve relied on many mothers to help with my teaching projects, lessons, opportunities, field trips, baseball trips, bake sales, and class dinners (both before we were discouraged to not allow prepared home meals or birthday cupcakes, etc.). As a coach, going way back to my Little League coaching days, I had mothers I relied on to come onto the field if any of the girls on my team got hurt or needed special attention. I needed moms to do that when I coached Modified and High School Girls’ Softball, as well.

I had many moms/mothers who would chaperone trips to Camp Timbercrest, with the many years we took students to our three-day Outdoor Education Experiences, and on our three-day end-of-the-year trips to Cleveland, and before teachers were discouraged from doing this for whatever reasons. I had many moms (and dads too) who volunteered to drive to places where we took field trips and experiences. I thank all the moms (and dads) who stepped up and helped with these projects, and sports.

I have so many friends, colleagues, teachers I didn’t work with but knew well, friends of my parents, women who are in the same groups Sally and I are in, and women who we’ve met and become friends with through church, or baseball, or Jimmy Buffett and other concerts, whom we have kept in contact with, who are amazing mothers. I’ve been close to so many great mothers, many here on this earth, and some up on their well-deserved and well-earned cloud of heaven, who do, have done, and will continue to do so much for their children, and even others’ children as well, be they here or there.

To Massey and Jan, who were my moms, away from my mom, covering the Bowen and Dover Streets area as I was growing up, and though I never did say it enough, thank you for combining with my own mother to make sure I was growing up the way I should have, and for helping raise me the way my own mom and dad raised us. Lord knows I was a handful, I needed three moms to keep me straight, and I’m glad you were there for me.

My grandmother Lombardo, whom I only knew for four years, and my grandmother on my mom’s side, who had passed before I was born, I say thank you for bringing my parents into the world and raising them to be great parents.

To my sister, Sandy, my foster-sister, Cathy (A.K.A Mary), my sisters-in-law Lisa, Maria, Jen, Sally’s sisters and sisters-in-law, thank you for giving me such well-behaved nieces and nephews, and for my nephews’ wives as well for giving me such great grand-nephews and nieces. To my, and Sally’s, aunts and cousins, “greats” and otherwise, thank you for raising all my cousins to be wonderful members of my and our family. To my mother, Mary, and Mother-in-Law Esther, thank you for all your love and support of/for Sally, me, our children, and siblings, and for teaching us what true parents are and should be. To my sisters-in-law Ruth, Jane, Linda, and niece Cyndie, and my sisters-in law, Lisa, Maria, and Jen, have a well-deserved and earned Mother’s Day either down here or up there. Thanks too, to my aunts and cousins who have been great examples of motherhood.

To my daughters, Chasy and Chrissy, my daughter-in-law, Erica, and America, the mother of my great-grandson, thank you so much for giving me loving, special grandchildren, and for doing everything you could, and can, do in raising wonderful children.

And to my beautiful, wonderful bride, Sally, who’s one of the most awesome mothers I’ve been honored to know, and who, though I didn’t know what kind of parent I’d be, encouraged me and always makes me feel I’ve been a good parent. Thanks for giving me three great children, leading to a houseful of grandkids, and the start of our great-grandkids list.

And to all who, in some way, lived the title, or assumed the role of mom, somewhere in your resume, Happy Mother’s Day tomorrow!