We need more mothers

This Mother’s Day, I’m struck by the fact that we need more mothers.

When police and people of color are too often at odds. When the U.S. Attorney General is held in contempt of Congress. When the president shapes tax laws, even as the New York Times reports that for at least eight years, he did not pay taxes himself.

We need more mothers.

We need them because there’s nothing more honest than a mother’s love. We need them because there’s nothing more transparent than a mother’s love. We need them because there’s nothing more enduring than a mother’s love. We need them because there’s nothing more authentic than a mother’s love.

It is a love I witnessed with the birth of each of my children. As I saw my wife agonize in the hours before they emerged, there was nothing fake in what I witnessed. There was blood and pain. There was suffering and uncertainty. But in the moments after my children came into the world, there was joy. There was laughter. There was life.

That’s why we need more mothers. They bring life to a world where death too often holds sway. They bring authenticity to a world where relationships are often fake.

When our friendships are online and our families are on life support. When our people are on drugs and our leaders are on Twitter.

We need more mothers.

Mothers will tell you when you’re wrong. Mothers will hug you when you’re weak. Mothers will push you when you’re lazy. Mothers will give you what you need.

At this juncture in human history, what we need more than anything is truth. The truth is social media is anything but social. The truth is that our justice system is woefully short on justice. The truth is we are living in a time when hate is rising.

We need more mothers, because as Marvin Gaye reminded us in his timeless R&B anthem, “What’s Going On”, only love can conquer hate. And when it comes to love, no human being could ever out-love a mother.

A mother’s love will tell you that it’s wrong to hate someone because he looks different, or thinks different, or talks different, or prays differently. Mothers understand that because mothers give birth to difference.

We need more mothers.

To love us until we realize that hate is not the answer. To love us until we recognize the humanity in others. To love us so we don’t rationalize the wrongs that we commit.

We need more mothers.

We need them in positions of power because a mother has the magic words she needs to get her way. Words like, “I bought you into this world. I’ll take you out.”

But more than that, mothers have the moral standing to make even the most callous among us take the time to listen, to reflect, and to love.

We need more mothers. To love us through the hate. To hold us when we’re scared. To kiss us when we’re hurting. To help show us the way.

This Mothers Day let’s remember everything our mothers gave us, and use those things to make our mothers proud.