MY MOTHER GIVING BIRTH TO ME 

I have a friend who is a well-educated, unassuming person who had a successful dentistry career and worked at least 30 years before retiring. I expected a response to this question with something more profound than these six words. At first, I was surprised, even disappointed, but the more I pondered the response, I determined his answer to be intricate and beautifully perfect.  

I am writing this a few days into the season when we celebrate the birth of Christ, the Savior of our world. He is my Redeemer, my Elder Brother, the Son of God, the Christ Child, the one with whom I hope to spend an eternal life.  

I review the story of Mary being overcome by the Spirit and then Joseph being educated by the Spirit regarding his role as the adoptive father in the life of Christ. I remember the young couple journeying to Bethlehem to pay their taxes while Mary, “heavy with child,” rode a donkey’s back and found no room in the inn. I recall the innkeeper taking pity on the glorious mother-to-be and offering them shelter in a stable with a makeshift cradle used as the resting place for the Holy Child. This Holy One would be a gift to the world, and His birth is remembered every year, time immemorial. 

This same Mary, the very mother of Christ, grieved at the foot of the cross, bearing her precious boy nailed to a cross by those who “knew not what they did.” Even though she knew his heritage and she knew he was the one with the power to deliver humankind from the sins of the world, she still wept with a mother’s heart, feeling the deepest of grief. This kind of grief is spent with the shedding of tears and sobs, wracking her body with physical pain.  

Do any of us dare put ourselves in the same category as Mary? We bear our children just as she bore Jesus; we love our children just as she loved her boy. We worry about our children just as Mary nervously asks after her missing child, only to find him in the Temple teaching his elders. Many of us have shed tears mourning the loss of children. We have those things in common with Mary.  

For every good gift, it is good manners to express appreciation to the giver. I hope all of us thank our Heavenly Father for the gift of His Son and that we thank Christ for His gift of selflessness. I hope we remember Christ’s mother and her example of love and charity. If we still have our mothers, we can tell them how much we appreciate their efforts in bringing us into this world and express our love.  

After giving birth to my first child, I recall feeling an overwhelming sense of gratitude for my mother. For now, I know exactly what she went through to bring my five siblings and me into this world. I felt a distinct impression to call her and tell her how much I appreciated and loved her for doing that. As I recall, she got a little choked up and barely squeaked out a “thank you” for my expression.  

I realize that not everyone has been blessed with the most ideal circumstances in this world, and I am so sorry. It ought to be a given, but sadly, there are broken people worldwide. Suppose any of you are in that category. In that case, I hope you can identify with someone who makes positive differences in your life and let them know how appreciative you are for their influence in helping you cope with life’s trials. I also hope that all of us realize the influence we can have on others who may be struggling with what fate deals them. Let us look for ways to “mother” people, help them see their value, and encourage them to watch out for others. No matter how little we may have, we can share something, even if it is just our time and attention.