Calling All Mothers! It's appropriate that on the recent Mother's Day weekend we, as mothers, stop to pat ourselves on our own backs in appreciation of all the ?firefighting? we do throughout the year.

Let's face it. There's always some ?fire? to put out as we attempt to keep peace intact and the roof from blowing right off the house. Within the wonderful myriad of opportunities we have to maintain harmonious balance between husbands, children and siblings, we're challenged almost daily to come up with yet another method of smoothing someone's bent feathers or helping to heal a hurt from someone's unkind or less than gentle words.

Thank God (literally!) that He gave most of us sturdy creatures a sense of humor and the patience of Job, because our limits are tested all too often. We're expected to handle not only physical mishaps but also emotional messes, which without our intervention might get blown all out of proportion, leaving unintentional and irreparable damage.

Somehow, God has given mothers a built-in radar that prepares us to fight against people bent on ripping each other apart. It's precisely within our nature to be gentle and to hear the silent cries of those who are hurting, to want to provide comfort with absolutely no expectation of a reward, even a ?thank you.?

As our world sometimes seems to spin more and more out of control, mothers are the formidable sticky substance holding so much of life together, not just giving life. Like firefighters, we're sometimes heralded for our efforts and hold a place of honor for selfless deeds ?above and beyond? when a tragedy happens, if only temporarily.

Whether you have children of your own or, like me, are blessed with a loving husband and an absolutely fabulous stepson, on behalf of All Mothers on Our Special Day I proclaim:

?World! We humbly and graciously accept your kind recognition of all we do for our loved ones and for strangers, for those hurting and who have lost their way, and we accept the honor you bestow upon us by naming a Day for us. Your kind gesture of acknowledgement empowers us and our lives are richer and more fulfilled. One of us, but perhaps not the one you expect, will always be available to help, to encourage and to strengthen those in our lives by our direct actions, as well as through our universal support of each other. We wear our uniforms proudly and it is a privilege to have you call on us anywhere at any time to put out a fire.?