Jim McCann, a Long Island resident who is the founder of Jericho-based 1-800-Flowers.com, has been writing the Celebrations Pulse, a weekly letter to customers, since March 2020. In this week’s edition, he looks at all MOMents that make up motherhood.
Motherhood is a lifelong journey of love, resilience, and self-sacrifice. Moms teach life skills, manage family budgets, pursue careers, and raise the next generation with strength and grace. But it’s not just a singular story. They’re lived in moments.
These MOMents — learning of a pregnancy, hearing “I love you” for the first time, cuddling before bed — aren’t just memories. They’re deeply emotional experiences that shape family bonds and connect generations.
For Mother’s Day month, I want to highlight the lasting impact of those MOMents through the eyes of a grandfather, a child, and a mom.
A Grandfather’s Perspective
As a young father, I admired how my wife, Marylou, handled the world’s toughest job: raising our kids while we launched a business. Life was a whirlwind, yet she navigated it all with skill and grace.
Now, as grandparents, we can step back and observe the next generation. All three of our kids are amazing parents, and their spouses are equally devoted. But seeing my daughter Erin as a mother fills me with a special kind of pride. I often visit (sometimes unannounced) just to watch her in action: preparing dinner, helping with homework, or reading bedtime stories.
Spending time at Erin’s home brings such joy, especially watching Marylou teach our granddaughters how to bake, passing down family recipes and traditions.
A Child’s Perspective
Wanda, a Celebrations Pulse reader, shared her mother’s story of quiet heroism. After growing up in a big family, Wanda’s mom and dad moved to the country, soon followed by her siblings. Even then, her mom helped raise her nieces and nephews.
Tragedy struck when Wanda’s father was killed in a work accident. Her mother, while grieving, found work and raised her children alone. But she didn’t stop there. She continued to care for extended family members who needed help, well into her 90s.
“She was a good mom then — and at 94 still is!” Wanda says. Her story reminds us that a mother’s love often extends far beyond her own children.
A Mom’s Perspective
In a recent podcast, I spoke with Dr. Nicole Saphier, a medical correspondent and radiologist. Nicole became pregnant in high school and chose to have her son with the support of her own mother. Though it meant adjusting her college dreams, she stayed close to home, worked 30 hours a week, and earned her degree at Arizona State University.
Later, the loss of her grandmother to breast cancer inspired her to specialize in early detection. Today, Nicole is also the author of Love Mom, a book filled with real-life stories from mothers navigating challenges like miscarriage, divorce, and blended families.
“When you read others’ stories, you find support, perspective, and maybe even healing,” Nicole told me. “We may feel isolated, but we’re all in this together.”
Let’s Celebrate Amazing Moms and Their MOMents
As we celebrate Mother’s Day this month, let’s also remember and embrace not only the big achievements, but the small MOMents that build a lifetime of love.
Enjoyed what you’ve read? Subscribe to the free weekly edition of the Celebrations Pulse and get it delivered to your inbox every Sunday at Celebrations Pulse.
