Each year, since the VFTB made its debut, 16 years and 7 months ago, there have been certain topics that have been touched annually, as they should be, because the topic is one that should never be taken for granted, and should be spoken about in a large voice. They should be revisited because life is short, and the topic could disappear in a flash, or be forgotten by younger people who haven’t been around as long as have certain generations. In the re-visitations, there are inevitably going to be some statements and thoughts that have been stated in previous pieces, but that repetition needs to be voiced constantly. Today’s narrative is one of those.

Peter Mark Roget, a physician, from the 18th and 19th centuries, had an interest in many other branches of science. He dedicated much of his life in the knowledge and identification of relationships. He was also one of the founders of the Portico Library, and he is most remembered for his publication of the Thesaurus of English Words and Phrases in 1852.

Before mobile devices, and the availability of the Internet, whenever my generation wanted to fine a piece of information for a school report or project, if we asked our parents for help, we were usually told to “Look it up in the Encyclopedia.” If we needed to find the meaning of a word, and asked for help, we were usually told to, “Look it up in the dictionary,” and if we were assigned to write an essay and had to find many ways to say the same word, numerous times, forcing us to find other words for the one most related to our topic. Enter Roget’s Thesaurus.

Even with the internet, which I do use at times, I still have my paperback Thesaurus, which I refer to on occasion, in my writing, to try and convey the same idea without using the same words repeatedly.

Tomorrow, we celebrate one of the top ten holidays, which probably should be ranked much higher because of whom we celebrate the second Sunday of each year. You guessed it. (I hope.) Tomorrow is Mother’s Day. Strong arguments could be made as to who should be celebrated more than the woman we call Mother.

If you really looked at who and what Mother is, and Mother doesn’t just refer to blood mothers, or birth mothers, but those women who serve their children in so many ways as the most important woman in all our lives (including step, half, foster, God, and more). Without using my thesaurus for this one, the VFTB offers the following list of words and phrases synonymous with Mother.

Title words for the matriarch of our family could start with matriarch itself. Its connection to royalty is how mothers should always be thought of, as the Queens of the Home. There are also the words of Stewie Griffin from the animated television show, Family Guy, the words he uses when he wants his mother’s attention. When Stewie is craving his mother’s attention, he usually calls out, “Mom, Mommy, Ma, Mama, Mum, Mummy…” until she responds to him. (This one makes me smile, because Sally uses that as her special phone ringtone for Jon, so I get to hear it when he calls her.)

Those titles are titles of respect and endearment from Stewie, though they are not the only words or phrases we can use when describing the mothers/mom sin our life. When talking about mom, she can be called an unconditional lover, a caretaker, a healer, a doctor, a nurse, a Mercurochrome dabber (my generation), a band-aid applier, a tailor, a shopper, and a taxi driver.

Moms can be described with sports and activities in mind too. It’s not uncommon to hear moms called Soccer Mom, Baseball Mom, Dance Mom, Basketball Mom, Hockey Mom, Gymnastics Mom, Drama Mom, that can refer to any other sport or activity moms become the biggest fan for whatever for their children undertake. You can add cheerleader, and equipment manager to that list too.

Moms can be referred to as willing servants, chefs, short order cooks, bakers, laundresses, female wizards with glue, sewing equipment, and also bike mechanics. They serve as dishwashers, teachers, advisors, permission slip signers, fashion advisors, and referees in their home. They are party planners, costume designers, hairdressers, some are barbers, budgeters, bankers, and decorators.

Moms have been relegated to be disciplinarians, “grounders,” huggers, kissers, and spoilers, too. (Many times, they are all five of these in the same situation.) They are small toy fixers, battery changers, and magicians, as they can fit 48 hours of labor for their children into a 24-hour day. If special circumstances arise and something extraordinary happens, you can bet mom will be there to fix, settle, and make things right for the betterment of the kids and the situation. Mothers are definitely, “Jackies” of all Trades, and Mistresses of most of them.

I remember when I was young, a very long time ago, our Mom, made sure we had responsibilities, we learned our lessons, completed our chores, and sometimes did it with a loud voice and/or maybe accompanied by a swat on the behind. Funny thing, though, we didn’t hate our Moms or Dads, if they doled out punishment mainly because they taught us right from wrong and there was usually no defense for what our misbehavior was, because we already knew we did wrong. I guess another adjective to describe mom (and dad too) could be sage. (No, not the spice.)

For what our moms did, do, and will continue to do here on earth, and even in their heavenly home, (I can sometimes feel my mom’s elbow nudge my ribs, reminding me of something I should, or shouldn’t be doing), one day of thanks doesn’t seem to be enough. One day of thanks can never be enough to cover all the hours, months, and years our moms have willingly worked for all of us.

I once heard a child character in a television show ask why there wasn’t a Kids’ Day, so kids could be pampered and acknowledged for a day, and the parents sitting in the same room, in unison, responded, “Every day is Kids’ Day!” Think about that, Kids!

Happy Mother’s Day tomorrow, and the next 364 days after that, before starting it all over, to my Mom in Heaven, Sally’s Mom up there too, my Bride, Sally, our daughters, Chas and Chris, our daughter-in-law, Erica, and Raina, Madison, and America (three of our great-grandchildren’s moms). Happy Mother’s Day, too, to our sisters, our sisters-in-law, our nieces, our aunts, our cousins, our grandmothers, our godmothers, our friends who are mothers, and all mothers, mommies, moms, mamas, mas, mums, mummies, grandmothers, nanas, memaws, step-mothers, foster-mothers, godmothers, aunts, our friends and friends we haven’t met yet, who have taken on any and every one of the synonyms in this narrative, the true glue that holds us all together.

Thank you and God Bless you all!