Sun 13 May 2007
The Evangelical Christian phrase, “What would Jesus Do?”, abbreviated WWJD and found printed on pencils and plastered on automobile bumpers everywhere, serves as a useful guide for everyday decisions. As a irreverent aside, those words make me think of the Simpsons episode where Homer, while contemplating battle strategies against a belligerent neighbor (President George Bush Senior), says to himself, “What would God do in this situation?” In the subsequent scene, Bart and Homer attempt to release locusts onto Bush’s property. Thinking of that always makes me laugh.
Another useful guidepost upon which we can measure our actions (applicable to both Christians and non-Christians alike), is the desire not to disappoint our mothers (or, in other words, to make our mothers proud.) It’s for this reason that so many people rush to mention their moms when they are on TV. “Look at me, Mom,” with the unspoken subtext of, “I’m doing good things!”
A short while ago, I listed beautiful words of the English language. Among those words was “mother.” I think that word made the list not only on its linguistic merits but also on the strong emotions the word evokes. To me the word mother embodies natural charity, compassion and selflessness.
Segueing from the abstract into the particular, (and I hope you’ll excuse my venture into the personal), I want to thank my own mom for her influence on my life. She taught me to work, encourages my dreams, and listens to my elations, my frustrations, my eccentric ramblings and my plans to take over the world. She edited my science fair project write-ups, explored Europe with me, makes a great lemon meringue pie, woke me up every morning in high school to read to me from the Book of Mormon, and didn’t get mad when my splatter painting ruined one of her own paintings. Along the way, she raised five children and somehow managed to get a doctoral degree.
So it’s for these reasons and more that, to all mothers everywhere, and to my mother particularly, I express my love and admiration. Thanks Mom!