gratitude towards mother essay

Craft and Criticism
Fiction and Poetry
News and Culture
Lit Hub Radio
Reading Lists

Literary Criticism
Craft and Advice
In Conversation
On Translation
Short Story
From the Novel
Bookstores and Libraries
Film and TV
Art and Photography
Freeman’s
The Virtual Book Channel
The Lit Hub Podcast
The Critic and Her Publics
Fiction/Non/Fiction
I’m a Writer But
Windham-Campbell Prizes Podcast
Write-minded
First Draft: A Dialogue on Writing
Behind the Mic
Lit Century
Tor Presents: Voyage Into Genre
Beyond the Page
The Cosmic Library
Emergence Magazine
The History of Literature
The Best of the Decade
Best Reviewed Books
BookMarks Daily Giveaway
The Daily Thrill
CrimeReads Daily Giveaway

You Will Never Be Able to Thank Your Mother Enough

On the inadequacy of each and every one of us.

There is a reason that a mother’s love, in its purest form, is visceral and even violent. This same reason explains the volatility of relationships with our mothers and why they often don’t make sense in logical terms. The reason is this: We are doomed by the nature of biological cycles to never be able to thank them enough for having facilitated our existence. For reasons I’ll explain, there exists a permanent deficit of appreciation toward our mothers.

Picture the moment you begin to grow in your mother’s womb. You have no speech to greet her although she’s probably talking to you already in whispers and in her thoughts. You are a kernel of futurity. You occupy her mind constantly, and many of her activities involve preparing for your arrival. She changes her diet, she reads about what’s best for you, she imagines what kind of person you’ll be. She watches the news and worries about bringing you here, to this death-drive civilization. People give her constant unsolicited advice and turn her into an alien yet holy allegory. You’ve changed her from a woman to a mother, which brings with it all kinds of unanticipated social consequences. She worries what you will do to her body. You are indifferent; you stretch it. Your presence changes the status of her relationship with her partner; something about you growing in between these two bodies alters the way they relate to one another.

Your arrival is marked by a tearing of flesh, something no one wants to think about. This physical pain will be an ellipsis in your mind when in your twenties you hastily scribble her a greeting card in the car outside her house on Mother’s Day. This is not what you think about when you respond with a couple of lines to her long, detailed, and grammatically meticulous emails. In the thoughts about your mother, you naturally omit the labor and blood of your own coming into being because you have no personal recollection of it and because it’s unpleasant to imagine. You cannot conceive of your conception nor of your birth. You cannot make the cognitive jump between the stretchmarks on her body and the very existence of your own. My own mother told me a joke once about a man who comes home to his pregnant wife sitting exhausted on the couch. He asks her, “What did you do today?” and she replies, “I made a lung.” This simple joke helped me realize an obvious fact that I’d never considered before: My mother grew me. Her body was the site and the circumstance of my being. Her bodily expenditures meant that I could live.

Were the resources she shared with me given or lent? The baby is in some sense a parasite that feeds off its host until it can live on its own. It can also be imagined as a plant or a pet or a project, a beautiful thing in which all energies and attentions are invested. This remarkable process of one person growing inside another like a matryoshka doll complicates our sovereignty as individuals. We know ourselves only as autonomous beings, but she knew us first as an extension of her own body. This smudging of the line between self and other must also contribute to the strange pulls and pushes of the mother-child relationship. A mother must wonder how something that sprang out of her own body could ever turn renegade.

So now you’ve made your entrance. You exist. But you cannot care for yourself. Your parents mobilize their energies and give you all the necessities for survival. For this reason, fatigue is a key feature of parenthood. As a miniature autocrat, your small will controls their world. You stink. You are cranky and needy, but they still bow to your authority. They would even kill on your behalf. Your mother’s body gives you food, warmth, and the sounds, smells, and textures of comfort. You still cannot say “thank you” yet. This continues for some time, but even when you finally acquire language, thanking your mother is probably not the first thing you do.

This first and constant postponement of gratitude is the principal cause of all motherly turbulence. To have a mother is to be in perpetual deficit of thanks toward her. This missing gratitude is a kind of high-interest loan that can never be paid back. She is asked by society to forgive this loan, to love you unconditionally because she chose to bring you here and because it’s her duty to give without taking. However, to be a mother is to be relentlessly, albeit often subconsciously, aware of this deficit and to try to balance the books over a lifetime in sometimes alarming and counterintuitive ways. Some mothers withhold their love; others triple or quintuple their love and attentions, if only to make the terms of repayment even more daunting. The belatedness and insufficiency of our gratitude could be one of the reasons that our interactions with her differ so greatly from our interactions with our father. Good fathers certainly sacrifice something of themselves in our early years, but their initial biological contribution to our existence was the most fun part of bringing baby into the world. They forego the nausea and epidurals.

Love is no accounting sheet, but somehow economic language (deficit, loan, repayment, interest, expenditure, investment) seems particularly well suited for describing the terms of our sentimental encounter with others. While what I’ve proposed here may sound like an economy of guilt, it is rather the plain recognition of a fact: We can never catch up in giving thanks, which shouldn’t produce feelings of guilt but rather a surrender to the permanent discrepancy that will separate us from our moms.

I am not a mother, but I have verified the truth of this assessment in every mother I’ve ever known, particularly those with children in their teens and older. Mother love tends toward maximalism and excess, with peaks and troughs and unpredictable, fearsome swerves. There are undoubtedly calm and even-keeled mothers around, but the default mother mode seems to be one of unruly fluctuation. What can account for this? The laziest way to deal with the phenomenon is to simply call them crazy, a statement that is commonly and casually blanketed on all women. This term has been called into question in recent years, and rightly so. Someone’s use of the label “crazy” has more to do with that person’s incapacity to understand the one they judge than with an actual psychosis. It is also irresponsible to attribute motherly tempestuousness solely to hormones in flux. Hormones undoubtedly play a role in the moods of the mother, but the deficit of thanks I’ve described could better explain the high degree of maternal intensity and volatility.

With awe, I watch my friends and colleagues who are mothers trudge through their daily lives with composure and terrifying competence. They do far more than is necessary in their professional and motherly lives. They take on tasks that no one else will, they aim beyond perfection, and they look great while doing it. They will be denounced as martyrs, visibly suffering and self-sacrificing so that others will have to notice their exertions and consent to sanctify them. One colleague in particular impresses me every day with her collegial spirit and her level of commitment to her teaching, research, and university service. I watch her with her son and see that she loves this boy with fury. She glides from faculty meeting to soccer practice to seminar to violin lesson with a kind of ethereal grace, all the while looking like a Greek goddess. How can we make sense of such a woman? How could years of gratitude from her colleagues, friends, partner, and child ever be enough? She is beyond our thanks.

Everyone’s mother is different and I suspect some examples of your own mother’s zeal have come to mind by now. My mom’s takes form as unrestrained giving. If you mention in passing that you like chocolate-covered cherries, you will receive several boxes of chocolate-covered cherries from her for every occasion for the rest of your days. As another example, she gave me a printer’s tray for my birthday, which I planned to fill with little souvenirs from places I visit in the future. I won’t have the chance: A month later, I got a box in the mail full of dozens of little trinkets she’d found somewhere. In one fell swoop, she filled my entire printer’s tray herself. She invents new family traditions every time I see her. She talks more and faster than anyone I know and laughs hysterically at things no one else finds funny. She is a talented florist and she insists on making the casket piece for any member of the family who should, unfortunately, require one. You look at these jaw-dropping masterpieces she’s spent hours creating by herself in the middle of the night, despite her mourning, and you know she has infused them with her soul. She works herself to exhaustion at family holidays so that everyone else can have a nice time even if the extra work puts her in a foul mood. She would die for her children without hesitation.

This essay is a roundabout way of thanking my own mother and acknowledging that I know any thanks I give her will always be belated and insufficient. I’ve noticed in recent years that the slightest gesture of gratitude on my part toward my mom is welcomed with an understandable insatiability. In my younger years, I mostly saw what displeased me in her and what didn’t correspond to my own values. However, over the past few years, all of her beautiful quirks, talents, sufferings, and sacrifices have become suddenly obvious, glaringly so. We will always be behind in thanking our own mothers. But thank them anyway, excessively, and thank every mother you know. While the deficit will never dwindle, we can join them as partners in excess.

Christy Wampole ‘s essay collection, The Other Serious, is forthcoming from Harper, in July, 2015.

Share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
Click to share on Google+ (Opens in new window)
Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)

Christy Wampole

Previous article, next article, support lit hub..

Join our community of readers.

to the Lithub Daily

LitHub Daily: May 8, 2015

RSS - Posts

Literary Hub

Created by Grove Atlantic and Electric Literature

How to Pitch Lit Hub

Advertisers: Contact Us

Support Lit Hub - Become A Member

Become a Lit Hub Supporting Member : Because Books Matter

For the past decade, Literary Hub has brought you the best of the book world for free—no paywall. But our future relies on you. In return for a donation, you’ll get an ad-free reading experience , exclusive editors’ picks, book giveaways, and our coveted Joan Didion Lit Hub tote bag . Most importantly, you’ll keep independent book coverage alive and thriving on the internet.

Become a member for as low as $5/month

Essay on Gratitude For Parents

Students are often asked to write an essay on Gratitude For Parents in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Gratitude For Parents

Understanding gratitude.

Gratitude is saying “thank you” for the good things in your life. It is a feeling of being thankful. We should have gratitude for many people in our life. But, our parents deserve it the most. They do so much for us.

Parents Love

Parents love their children more than anything. They work hard to give us a good life. They make sure we are safe, healthy, and happy. They teach us important things. They help us when we are in trouble. For all these things, we should be grateful.

Showing Gratitude

Showing gratitude to our parents is easy. We can say “thank you” often. We can help them with their work. We can listen to their advice. We can respect them. By doing these things, we show our gratitude.

Benefits of Gratitude

Gratitude is not just good for our parents. It is good for us too. It makes us feel happy. It helps us see the good things in our life. It reminds us of how much we are loved. So, let’s be grateful to our parents every day.

250 Words Essay on Gratitude For Parents

Introduction.

Parents are the pillars of our life. They are the ones who bring us into this world, nurture us, and help us grow. They teach us about life, love, and kindness. Our parents are our first teachers and our biggest supporters. It’s important to feel and express gratitude for our parents.

Gratitude means to be thankful. It is about recognizing the good things in life and appreciating them. When we talk about gratitude for parents, it means to be thankful for all that our parents do for us. They work hard to provide us with a safe and comfortable life. They guide us, protect us, and love us unconditionally.

Showing Gratitude to Parents

There are many ways to show gratitude to our parents. Small gestures can mean a lot. We can say thank you to them for the little things they do. We can help them with their work. We can listen to them and respect their advice. We can also show our gratitude by doing well in our studies and activities, as this makes them happy and proud.

The Importance of Gratitude

Feeling and expressing gratitude for our parents is very important. It makes them feel loved and appreciated. It also helps us to understand the value of their efforts. Gratitude helps us to build a strong bond with our parents. It also makes us better people, as it teaches us to be thankful and respectful.

Our parents do so much for us. They deserve our love, respect, and gratitude. Let’s always remember to say thank you to them, for everything they do. Let’s show them that we appreciate their love and care. Let’s make them feel special, every day. After all, our parents are our biggest blessing.

500 Words Essay on Gratitude For Parents

Gratitude for parents is a feeling of thankfulness and appreciation towards our parents. They are the ones who bring us into this world and take care of us with immense love and kindness. They guide us, teach us, and shape us into the individuals we become. This essay will explore the importance of expressing gratitude towards our parents.

Role of Parents

Parents play a crucial role in our lives. From the time we are born, they provide us with everything we need. They feed us, dress us, and comfort us when we are upset. They teach us to walk, talk, and interact with the world around us. They dedicate their time, energy, and resources to our well-being and development. They are our first teachers, teaching us values, manners, and life skills. They guide us through life, helping us make important decisions and supporting us in our endeavors.

Gratitude is a feeling of appreciation for the kindness and benefits we have received. When we express gratitude, we acknowledge the efforts and sacrifices made by others for our benefit. Expressing gratitude towards our parents is important because it acknowledges the love, care, and effort they put into raising us. It shows them that we value and appreciate everything they do for us. It also helps us develop a positive attitude and a sense of contentment in life.

Ways to Express Gratitude

There are many ways to show gratitude towards our parents. We can express our gratitude through words, by telling them how much we appreciate their love and care. We can also show it through actions, by helping them with household chores, spending quality time with them, or doing something special for them. We can also express gratitude by being obedient, respectful, and considerate towards them. By doing so, we not only show our appreciation, but also make them feel loved and valued.

In conclusion, gratitude for parents is a powerful and important emotion. It helps us acknowledge the efforts and sacrifices our parents make for us, and shows them that we appreciate and value their love and care. By expressing gratitude, we strengthen our relationship with our parents, and cultivate a positive and contented outlook on life. So, let’s make it a habit to express our gratitude to our parents regularly, for it is the least we can do to acknowledge their unconditional love and sacrifices.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

Essay on Great Pyramid Of Giza
Essay on Greatest Accomplishment In Life
Essay on Greatest Fear

Apart from these, you can look at all the essays by clicking here .

Happy studying!

Essay on Mothers Day – Samples, 10 Lines to 1500 Words

Essay on Mothers Day: Mother’s Day is a special occasion to celebrate and honor the incredible women who have shaped our lives. In this essay, we will explore the significance of Mother’s Day and the importance of showing appreciation for the mothers in our lives. From the sacrifices they make to the unconditional love they provide, mothers play a vital role in our upbringing and development. Join us as we delve into the heartwarming and profound impact of mothers on this special day.

Table of Contents

Mothers Day Essay Writing Tips

Mother’s Day is a special occasion to honor and celebrate the incredible women who have played a significant role in our lives. Writing an essay on Mother’s Day can be a heartfelt way to express your love and gratitude towards your mother or any mother figure in your life. Here are some writing tips to help you craft a meaningful and touching essay:

1. Begin with a strong introduction: Start your essay with a powerful opening that captures the reader’s attention. You can begin with a quote, a personal anecdote, or a thought-provoking question related to motherhood.

2. Share personal stories and memories: One of the best ways to make your essay more engaging and emotional is by sharing personal stories and memories of your mother. Reflect on the moments that have shaped your relationship with her and highlight the qualities that make her special to you.

3. Express your gratitude: Take this opportunity to express your gratitude towards your mother for all the love, sacrifices, and support she has given you throughout your life. Acknowledge her hard work and dedication in raising you and shaping you into the person you are today.

4. Highlight her qualities: Write about the qualities that you admire most in your mother. Whether it’s her kindness, strength, wisdom, or sense of humor, make sure to highlight the traits that make her unique and special to you.

5. Include heartfelt messages: Use your essay as a platform to convey heartfelt messages to your mother. Tell her how much she means to you, how grateful you are for everything she has done for you, and how much you love and appreciate her.

6. Use descriptive language: Paint a vivid picture of your mother in the reader’s mind by using descriptive language. Describe her physical appearance, personality traits, and the way she makes you feel in her presence.

7. End with a meaningful conclusion: Wrap up your essay with a heartfelt conclusion that leaves a lasting impact on the reader. You can end with a touching quote, a final message of love and appreciation, or a call to action to cherish and celebrate mothers every day.

In conclusion, writing an essay on Mother’s Day is a wonderful way to honor and celebrate the special women in our lives. By following these writing tips, you can create a heartfelt and touching tribute to your mother or any mother figure who has made a positive impact on your life.

Essay on Mothers Day in 10 Lines – Examples

1. Mother’s Day is a special day dedicated to honoring and celebrating mothers. 2. It is typically celebrated on the second Sunday in May in many countries around the world. 3. The holiday was first established in the United States in the early 20th century. 4. On Mother’s Day, children often give their mothers cards, flowers, and gifts to show their appreciation. 5. Many families also celebrate by having a special meal or spending quality time together. 6. It is a time to reflect on the love, sacrifices, and support that mothers provide. 7. Mother’s Day is a chance to express gratitude for all that mothers do for their families. 8. It is also a time to remember and honor mothers who are no longer with us. 9. The holiday is a reminder of the importance of showing love and appreciation to our mothers every day. 10. Mother’s Day is a time to celebrate the incredible women who have shaped our lives and made us who we are.

Sample Essay on Mothers Day in 100-180 Words

Mother’s Day is a special day dedicated to honoring and celebrating mothers all around the world. It is a time to show appreciation for all the love, sacrifices, and hard work that mothers do for their families. Mothers play a crucial role in shaping our lives and providing us with unconditional love and support.

On Mother’s Day, people often give gifts, cards, and flowers to their mothers to show their gratitude and love. It is also a time to spend quality time with our mothers and make them feel special and appreciated.

Mother’s Day is a reminder to cherish and treasure the bond we share with our mothers and to express our love and gratitude for everything they do for us. It is a day to celebrate the amazing women who have dedicated their lives to nurturing and caring for their children.

Short Essay on Mothers Day in 200-500 Words

Mother’s Day is a special occasion celebrated worldwide to honor and appreciate the love, sacrifices, and hard work of mothers. It is a day dedicated to showing gratitude and expressing love towards the women who have played a significant role in shaping our lives. Mother’s Day is celebrated on different dates in various countries, but the sentiment behind the celebration remains the same – to recognize the selfless dedication and unconditional love of mothers.

The origins of Mother’s Day can be traced back to ancient Greek and Roman times when festivals were held to honor mother goddesses. In the United States, the modern Mother’s Day celebration was first organized by Anna Jarvis in the early 20th century to honor her own mother and all mothers. Since then, Mother’s Day has become a widely celebrated holiday, with people around the world taking the opportunity to express their love and appreciation for their mothers.

On Mother’s Day, children and families typically show their appreciation for their mothers through various gestures such as giving flowers, cards, gifts, or preparing a special meal. Many people also take the time to spend quality time with their mothers, whether it be through a phone call, a visit, or a family gathering. It is a day to pamper and spoil mothers, to make them feel loved and cherished.

Mother’s Day is not just about celebrating biological mothers but also about honoring all women who have played a maternal role in our lives. This includes stepmothers, grandmothers, aunts, sisters, and other maternal figures who have provided love, care, and support. It is a day to acknowledge the impact these women have had on our lives and to thank them for their guidance and wisdom.

Mother’s Day is also a time to reflect on the sacrifices and challenges that mothers face in their role as caregivers. Mothers often put their children’s needs before their own, sacrificing their time, energy, and resources to ensure their children are happy and healthy. It is a day to recognize and appreciate the hard work and dedication that mothers put into raising their children and nurturing their families.

In conclusion, Mother’s Day is a special occasion to celebrate and honor the love, sacrifices, and hard work of mothers. It is a time to show gratitude and appreciation for the women who have played a significant role in shaping our lives. Whether through gifts, gestures, or simply spending quality time together, Mother’s Day is an opportunity to make mothers feel loved and cherished. So, let us take this day to express our love and gratitude to the amazing women who have given us so much.

Essay on Mothers Day in 1000-1500 Words

Mother’s Day is a special day dedicated to honoring and celebrating mothers all around the world. It is a day to show appreciation for the love, care, and sacrifices that mothers make for their children every day. This day is celebrated on different dates in various countries, but the sentiment behind it remains the same – to recognize and honor the important role that mothers play in our lives.

The origins of Mother’s Day can be traced back to ancient Greek and Roman times, where festivals were held to honor mother goddesses. However, the modern Mother’s Day we know today has its roots in the United States. The official Mother’s Day holiday was established in the early 20th century by Anna Jarvis, who wanted to honor her own mother and all mothers for their selfless dedication to their families.

Mother’s Day is typically celebrated on the second Sunday of May in many countries, including the United States, Canada, and Australia. On this day, children and families show their appreciation for their mothers by giving them gifts, flowers, and cards, or by simply spending quality time with them. It is a day to pamper and spoil mothers, to make them feel loved and appreciated for all that they do.

There are many ways to celebrate Mother’s Day, depending on personal preferences and traditions. Some families may choose to have a special meal together, while others may opt for a day out or a weekend getaway. Some may give thoughtful gifts or handcrafted cards, while others may write heartfelt letters or poems to express their love and gratitude.

Regardless of how Mother’s Day is celebrated, the sentiment behind it is always the same – to honor and appreciate the incredible women who have dedicated their lives to raising and nurturing their children. Mothers play a vital role in shaping the lives of their children, providing love, support, guidance, and encouragement every step of the way.

One of the most important aspects of Mother’s Day is the opportunity to reflect on the sacrifices that mothers make for their children. From the moment a child is born, a mother’s life is forever changed. She devotes her time, energy, and love to caring for her children, often putting their needs above her own. Mothers sacrifice their own desires and ambitions to ensure the well-being and happiness of their children.

Motherhood is a challenging and demanding role, requiring patience, resilience, and unconditional love. Mothers juggle multiple responsibilities, from managing household chores to balancing work and family life. They are often the primary caregivers, providing emotional support, guidance, and comfort to their children through life’s ups and downs.

Mother’s Day is a time to acknowledge and appreciate the hard work and dedication that mothers put into raising their children. It is a day to say thank you for all the sleepless nights, the endless hours of cooking and cleaning, the countless sacrifices made for the sake of their children. It is a day to recognize the strength, resilience, and love that mothers embody every day.

Mother’s Day is also a time to celebrate the unique bond between mothers and their children. The relationship between a mother and her child is unlike any other, built on a foundation of love, trust, and understanding. Mothers are often the first to comfort their children in times of need, to celebrate their achievements, and to offer guidance and support when they face challenges.

The bond between a mother and her child is a special and unbreakable connection that lasts a lifetime. It is a relationship based on mutual respect, love, and admiration, where both parties learn and grow from each other. Mothers play a crucial role in shaping their children’s values, beliefs, and character, instilling in them the importance of kindness, compassion, and empathy.

Mother’s Day is a time to reflect on the lessons and values that mothers impart to their children. It is a day to honor the wisdom, guidance, and love that mothers provide, shaping their children into the kind, compassionate, and resilient individuals they become. Mothers are the unsung heroes of our lives, quietly working behind the scenes to ensure our well-being and happiness.

In conclusion, Mother’s Day is a special day dedicated to honoring and celebrating the incredible women who have dedicated their lives to raising and nurturing their children. It is a day to show appreciation for the love, care, and sacrifices that mothers make every day. Mother’s Day is a time to reflect on the important role that mothers play in our lives, and to express our gratitude for all that they do. So, let us take this opportunity to celebrate and honor the amazing mothers in our lives, and to show them the love and appreciation they truly deserve. Happy Mother’s Day!