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Dog Day: Celebrate All Moms!

by Ricki Heller 26 Comments

Although I am not a mother and I lost my own mom many years ago,  over time I’ve come to feel that Mother’s Day is nevertheless a cause for celebration. 

As Oprah Winfrey is fond of pointing out, motherhood is the hardest job on earth.  I wholeheartedly agree; and the older I get, the more I realize how much my mom accomplished simply by raising three daughters who are (more or less) upstanding citizens.  There are many ways to be a “mother”–whether by blood, adoption, or simply providing maternal compassion and care for someone you love. 

Calling your friend to make sure she made it home safely on the subway?  That’s mothering.  Helping your niece to install that new bathroom wallpaper?  Moms do that. Bringing soup to a sick neightbour?  Definitely a Mama’s job.  Watching out for the welfare of an ailing parent and ensuring that s/he is treated with dignity?  Simply returning the favor of mothering. Raising a domestic pet, one that’s entirely dependent on you for shelter, food, safety?  Those maternal instincts kicking in, whether or not you’re a biological parent, or even a female.  Everyone contains a kernel of “mother” within them.

And so, here’s wishing you all a very, very Happy Mother’s Day, one in which you celebrate the many mothers in your life–as well as your your own role as mother, however it occurs.  Hardest job, perhaps, but also the most rewarding!

elsiepillowforch

“Mum, you take great care of us and everything, but sometimes, I just like to pretend that Elsie is my mother. No offence–it’s only because you’re not quite as furry as she is.”

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Filed Under: dogs, silly Tagged: dogs, Mother's Day, silly

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Meghan (Making Love In The Kitchen) says

    May 10, 2009 at 8:28 am

    My mom lost her mom when she was just 24 years old. As a little girl I knew this but thought- that not so bad- she was a grown up by then. Now at 29, I have come to realize you are never old enough to be without a mom. Today is one of the most important days of my year- to spend with my sweet mom.

    Reply
  2. ttfn300 says

    May 10, 2009 at 9:16 am

    chaser and elsie are lucky to have you 😉

    Reply
  3. Shellyfish says

    May 10, 2009 at 9:37 am

    Happy Mother’s Day to you! If you nurture and love, you are participating in the mothering of us all! 🙂

    Reply
  4. Vittoria says

    May 10, 2009 at 9:48 am

    Well said! I’m absolutely the mother of my gerbils, and a second mother to my fiancee (what a lucky guy!)

    Reply
  5. Andrea says

    May 10, 2009 at 10:19 am

    Beautiful sentiment — and so true. We are all mothers.

    Reply
  6. giz says

    May 10, 2009 at 10:19 am

    What a beautiful post Ricki and Happy Mother’s Day to you too. The girls as always have this sweet pathetic poor me look on their faces and we already know how loved they are.

    Reply
  7. Alisa - Frugal Foodie says

    May 10, 2009 at 10:20 am

    Aw, very nicely put. Love the pic of your “kids.”

    Reply
  8. Jes says

    May 10, 2009 at 10:52 am

    What a wonderful post! You’re right, although I still have my mother (who is my best friend too), mothering is an active job for us all. I’d like to think my cats are as happy with my work as the pups look!

    Reply
  9. Still Life in South America says

    May 10, 2009 at 11:00 am

    What a touching post, Ricki. I definitely have a mothering gene. The older I’ve become, the more I’ve wanted to cook food for people, fix them tea, keep tabs on what they need, and tuck them into bed.

    I would be a really good dog mom or godmom. 🙂

    Reply
  10. Megan says

    May 10, 2009 at 11:16 am

    Thanks, Ricki!

    I definitely think of you as a mom to your dogs. 🙂

    Reply
  11. Ashley says

    May 10, 2009 at 12:26 pm

    Haha love what you wrote for what the dogs are thinking.

    Reply
  12. Lisa (Show Me Vegan) says

    May 10, 2009 at 1:53 pm

    Thanks Ricki! And thank you for another great dog photo. They do know how adorable they are, right?

    Reply
  13. janetha says

    May 10, 2009 at 2:20 pm

    awe cute pooches

    Reply
  14. Pearl says

    May 10, 2009 at 2:21 pm

    Happy Mother’s Day 🙂

    Reply
  15. maris says

    May 10, 2009 at 3:45 pm

    Even though you’ve lost your mom, you can still take this special day to honor her. And I bet your dogs wouldn’t trade you for any other mom in the world! 🙂

    Reply
  16. Josiane says

    May 10, 2009 at 3:50 pm

    Your post echoes nicely the wishes a wise woman shared on Twitter earlier today: “Happy Mother’s Day to all of us who nurture children, a business, a creative life–anything to which you give your heart, love & devotion.”
    Happy Mother’s Day!

    Reply
  17. melomeals: Vegan For $3.33 a Day says

    May 10, 2009 at 5:37 pm

    *hugs*

    I’m sorry you lost your mom.

    Your dogkids are so adorable!

    Reply
  18. jessy says

    May 10, 2009 at 8:33 pm

    i’m not a mother, but i sure have to agree that being a mother is the hardest job on earth. mothers have done, and do, so very much for us – i don’t know where i’d be without my mother – i love her so very much! what a great day to celebrate all the awesome our mothers have brought us. three cheers for moms and happy mothers day to you, Ricki – the girls are just too cute!!!

    Reply
  19. Diann says

    May 10, 2009 at 8:38 pm

    What a great picture. Happy Mother’s Day, Ricki!

    Reply
  20. Johanna says

    May 10, 2009 at 9:14 pm

    I have heard people call it mothering sunday to acknowledge exactly what you say – I agree that we need to broaden our understanding of what it means to be a mother – we could even argue that the support and learning re cooking we get on the blogs is what women used to get from their mothers – so I think we should celebrate the mothering we get from blogs!

    Reply
  21. Karen says

    May 11, 2009 at 12:25 am

    Happy Day to a fellow dog mom…love your pooches, and all that you offer, Ricki.

    Reply
  22. Sweta says

    May 11, 2009 at 4:01 pm

    Such cute dogs-they’re definitely lucky to be with you 🙂

    Reply
  23. Ricki says

    May 11, 2009 at 8:06 pm

    Meghan,
    I heartily agree–it’s always too soon to lose your mom.

    ttfn300,
    Aw, thanks! (Just tell THEM that!) 😉

    Shellyfish,
    I agree–so many of us are “moms”!

    Vittoria,
    Hope he realized how lucky he is. 🙂

    Andrea,
    Thanks so much. Hope your own Mom’s Day was great. 🙂

    giz,
    Yes, they’ve mastered that look, haven’t they?

    Alisa,
    Thanks! Hope your own day was a good one.

    Jes,
    I have no doubt the entire menagerie is lucky to have you!

    Still Life,
    Yes, you’d definitely be a great dog mom. How about if you’re the godmother (dogmother?) to E and C?

    Meghan,
    Yay! I certainly FEEL like their “mom”!

    Ashley,
    I’m merely transcribing. . . they said it all. 😉

    Lisa,
    I’m afraid they do know how adorable they are. . .all too well!

    Janetha,
    Thanks!

    Pearl,
    Same to you! Hope it was a good one.

    Maris,
    Aw, thanks so much. HOpe they agree!

    Josiane,
    Thanks for the lovely quote. And so true. 🙂

    Melody,
    Thanks–and I love “dogkids”!

    jessy,
    Your mom sounds like one lucky lady with you as a daughter! Hope your day was fabulous!

    Diann,
    Thanks–took hours to get them to pose that way (ha ha).

    Johanna,
    I love the idea of blogs participating in mothering–how true! Thanks for the sentiment. 🙂

    Karen,
    Thanks so much–it means a lot!

    Sweta,
    Thanks! And I think I’m lucky, too. 🙂

    Reply
  24. Amanda says

    May 13, 2009 at 12:33 pm

    This is the nicest Mother’s Day post EVER! So sweet!

    Reply
  25. Michelle @ Find Your Balance says

    May 13, 2009 at 3:17 pm

    What a sweet post Ricki! I love it! I’m a mama to my 3 cats and that’s plenty for now 🙂

    Reply
  26. Kiersten says

    May 13, 2009 at 9:29 pm

    Hey Ricki! I made your veggie burgers and posted about it on my blog. I thought you might like to check it out.

    http://fullofbeansblog.blogspot.com/2009/05/rickis-veggie-burgers.html

    Reply

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