Mother's day is a wonderful time to for each of us to take a moment and honor motherhood. Motherhood is not merely defined by the bearing and raising of children but is rather a statement regarding the divine nature of women. All women, whether or not they bear children, can fulfill the role of mothers. The work they do should also be remembered as we celebrate Mother's Day.

In her article, "One Thing Needful: Becoming Women of Greater Faith in Christ," Patricia T.

Holland explained:

• "In a poignant exchange with God, Adam states that he will call the woman Eve. And why does he call her Eve? 'Because she [is] the mother of all living.' (Genesis 3:20; Moses 4:26.)
  
  "...Eve was given the identity of 'the mother of all living' --years, decades, perhaps centuries before she ever bore a child. It would appear that her motherhood preceded her maternity, just as surely as the perfection of the Garden preceded the struggles of mortality. I believe mother is one of those very carefully chosen words, one of those rich words--with meaning after meaning after meaning. We must not, at all costs, let that word divide us. I believe with all my heart that it is first and foremost a statement about our nature, not a head count of our children.
  
  "...some women give birth and raise children but never 'mother' them. Others, whom I love with all my heart, 'mother' all their lives but have never given birth. And all of us are Eve's daughters, whether we are married or single, maternal or barren. We are created in the image of the Gods to become gods and goddesses." (Ensign, October 1987, pp. 32-33)

And so we see that Mother's day encompasses more than just the honoring of those who have borne children. It is the celebration of motherhood--the divine nature of women. May we all feel a deeper appreciation for the great blessing of motherhood not just when we celebrate Mother's Day but everyday!

See the Family Life and Marriage category for additional resources.