A Tribute to Motherhood
 ~Author Unknown~

        A few months ago, when I was picking up the children at school, another mother I knew well rushed up to me. Emily was fuming with indignation. "Do you know what you and I are?" she demanded. Before I could answer,and I didn't realy have one handy ~ she blurted out the reason for her question. It seemed she had just returned from renewing her drivers license at the county clerk's office. Asked by the woman recorder her "occupation", Emily had hesitated, uncertain how to classify herself. "What I mean is," the recorder explained, "do you have a job or are you just a......?" "Of course I have a job!" snapped Emily, "I'm a Mother!" "We don't list 'Mother' as an occupation" replied the recorder. "Housewife covers it"

        I forgot all about her story untill one day I fond myself in the same situation, this time at our Town Hall. The clerk was obviously a career woman, poisd, efficient, and possesed of a high-sounding title like, "Office Interrogator" or "Town Registrar". "And what is your occupation?" she probed. What made me say it I'll never know, the words just popped out. ""I'm....a Research Associate in the field of Child Developement and Human Relations." The clerk paused, ball-point pen frozen in mid-air, and looked up as though she had not heard right. I repeated the title slowly, emphasising the most significant words. Then I stared in wonder as my pompass pronouncement was witten in bold, black ink on the official questionair. "Might I ask," said the clerk with new interest, "just what you do in your field?"

        Cooly, without any trace of fluster in my voice, I heard myself reply. "I have a continuing program of research (what mother doesn't?) in the laboratory and in the field (nprmally I would have said indoors and out). I'm working for my Masters (the whole darn family is my master) and already have 4 credits (all daughter's). Of course, the job is one of the most demanding in the Humanities (any mother care to disagree?) and I often work 14 hours a day (24 is more like it). But the job is more challenging than most run-of-the-mill careers and the rewards are in satisfaction rather than just money."

        There was an increasig note of respect in the clerk's voice as she completed the form, stood up, and personally ushered me to the door. As I drove into our driveway buyed up by my glamorous new career, I was greeted by my lab assistants---ages 13, 7, and 3. And upstairs, I could hear our new experiment model (6 months) in the child-developement program, testing out a new vocal pattern. I felt triumphant. I had scored a beat on bureaucracy. And I had gone down on the official records as someone more distinguished and indispensable to mankind than "just another...." Home --- What a glorious career. Especially when there's a title on the door!

        Pretty nifty message huh? Too bad the word "Mother" isn't precious all by itself in our society. This goes out to every Mother in the world. God's Blessings on each and every one of you very important people !!!! :-)

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