New Painting-Mother's Thanks

A Mother's Thanks

Thank you, God, for all the babies I held in my arms, for the tears I wiped off children’s cheeks, and the parents I comforted.

I hold these memories close. I have no children to call me mom or little ones to call me grandma, granny or nana, not even a niece or nephew. But I do have the memories and gratitude for the moments when I felt one with you. At those times, I felt like your emissary in the bullet-ridden neighborhoods, where gangs ruled the streets and stole bikes off children at play. 

I held hundreds of children in my arms. Some had just been orphaned. Others had been abused, abandoned or addicted to heroin while in their mothers’ wombs. Thank you, God, for the privilege of caring for them and making decisions that impacted entire families and possibly generations. I remember my social work days and give thanks for what I do have.

Because no child will call me mom, I could tell a story about loss and absence. Instead, I tell stories of gratitude. These are the only stories worth telling.

Thank you, God, for the cherished memories of feeling like mother of the world. I give thanks for the mother in me, who sees every stranger as a beloved child.

Painting Detail

Mixed media on 12” x 16” gallery wrapped canvas; original linocut prints, acrylic and graphite. Message embedded in the layers: “Love has found you. You are loved and loving always.”

©Claudia Rose, Ph.D.