A Mother's Love

A Mother’s Love

On this Remembrance Day 2010 I have a few thoughts to share.

The statistics are staggering:

The Boer war 1899-1902.…………………………….......7582 lives lost

WW1 1914-1918.……………………………................66,655 lives lost

WW2 1939-1945.……………………………................44,893 lives lost

Korea 1950-1953.……………………………................ 516 lives lost

Peace Keeping Missions……………………………….......121 lives lost

Afghanistan ongoing……………………………….............152 lives lost

As a Canadian, I mourn the loss of all these lives.

As a mother, I mourn the loss of all soldiers worldwide from every nation, from every war.

If it was up to mothers, war would not exist. For every soldier lost, there is a mother left behind to grieve. Try to imagine the immeasurable pain of losing a child grown to adulthood in the prime of life. To lose a child in a military conflict is a bittersweet cross to bear. As a mother you will never get over the grief, but as a patriot, you are comforted by their noble and ultimate sacrifice.

No matter how old, your child always remains a child in your eyes. It is because of a mother’s love for her offspring that we survived as a species. That protective instinct is like a surge of emotion that kicks in when our child is threatened. I have felt its power. We do everything we can to ensure the well being and survival of our offspring.

My Grandmother Theresia once flew into a rage when a neighbour insulted her son, my dad. Without going into further detail, let it be known that my Grandfather had to sort things out at the Police Station and my dad’s honour was summarily restored. Such is the fervor of the lioness, the mother bear, the she wolf protecting her young.

When our child faces difficulties and hardship, we suffer along with him (or her). When a child dies, a part of us dies as well.

We think of our modern society as civilized and yet war persists. People are getting killed every day in Political, Economic, Ethnic and Religious conflicts. Each life is filled with infinite potential and we lose much more than the loved one. Humanity loses the possibility of what might have been if that person had lived. It’s tragic and senseless and must end now.

If mothers ruled the world we’d settle our differences with milk and cookies, or pound cake and tea. We’d ask for a list of disagreements from all nations and then hold an annual “Mothers for Peace” conference. We’d discuss each issue and find a resolution, insisting on compromise and cooperation. Hell, we do that every day when raising a family. War is not an option!

Business accomplished, we’d open our wallets and take out the photos of our children and grandchildren and remember, this is why we came. Then we’d head off to the gift shop and buy Tee shirts or Fridge magnets that say: “What if they gave a War and no one came?”

There is nothing greater than a Mother’s Love. Love is the answer. Love is eternal. Love will set us free.