Waiting out the dark

I have Seasonal Affective Disorder and I know that many of you do, too.

This time of the year is so dark and the nights are so long that I literally count the days until Yule, the solstice, so we can flip around and begin to head toward the light again.

About 80 percent of the blogs I read are mom blogs, and I can see that there is a lot of darkness and sadness out there in the momosphere as women struggle with holiday preparations, family stress, grief and regret.

I just want to take a small moment to remind you how important you are.

The word "mother" was voted the most beautiful word in the English language. As the article points out, in some form or another, it is usually the first word we ever utter and quite often the last.

When we are tired, hurt, hungry, lonely, we want our mothers. (For some, not their REAL mother, but a good mother, a kind mother, a caring mother).

You are providing something that no one else on earth can provide for your children. There is no substitute for a loving mother. If you doubt that, or even if you don't, listen to this lovely story from NPR about a woman who, as she approached death in her late 80s, finally got to hear her mother's voice.