On Mother’s Day this year some may not be with their mothers. They may be separated by distance, a pandemic or death. Or they may remember the “other mothers” who graced their lives.

Honoring those, I share this “list” from Marilyn McEntyre.

Other mothers

The woman who taught you to read
The babysitter who played with you instead of watching TV
The woman next door who came to your piano recitals
The boyfriend’s mom who still liked you after you broke up
The old woman at church who prayed for you
The auntie who knew how it was when mom didn’t
The childless aunt who gave you her gift of mother-love
The teacher who tutored you on her own time
The librarian who remembered what books you liked
The Girl Scout leader who listened to you giggle all night
The professor who midwifed your intellectual rebirth
The woman who clued you in when you were a newcomer at work
The woman who mentored you through your first pregnancy
The eighty-year-old elder who is your midlife role model
The stepmother who wasn’t wicked after all

Marilyn McEntyre

The author adds in her book, Make a List, how a simple practice can change our lives and open our hearts. “Writing life reviews like this can lead us into a deep glen of gratitude. Once the category of “mothering” begins to open up, a wide variety of contacts and relationships present themselves in that light.”

Learn more about her writing and resources at marilynmcentyre.com or order Make A List on Amazon or from your favorite indie bookstore.