Mom.  What a loaded word.  A mother's love is not based on performance, merit, or action.  It is unconditional in the way that it doesn't change, is not self-seeking, and doesn't keep score.  It's probably the closest thing I can think of to the love described by Paul in 1 Corinthians:

To my Mom, since I know you'll find this here, I wanted to surprise you with a letter from me to you this Mother's Day:

Dear Mom, 

There's no way I can possibly articulate what you mean to me and how truly blessed I feel to have a mother like you.  You know me to my core; my true self, the good and the bad.  You've witnessed my stubborn childhood nature, my awkward middle-school years, and the ups-and-downs of life at university.  That's a little scary to think about and I'm sure you remember some moments I'd rather forget, but your love for me has never wavered or changed.  

As kids, you drove my brother and I to hockey in all sorts of small towns around the province, in the dead of a Canadian winter, even if it meant that you and Dad spent weekends apart.   

You invested time, energy, and prayer into making sure we knew the truth of God's love and the difference between right and wrong.

As a child, you protected me, but not at the sacrifice of my learning to be independent.  As an adult, you gave me space to make mistakes but were there to pick me up when I slipped; never further than a phone call away.  Probably hundreds of phone calls actually.

You've never picked an argument or raised your voice at me, even when I'm sure I deserved it.  You've modelled humility, level-headedness, a heart for God, faith, trust, and patience, even when it didn't come naturally to you.

You taught me to work hard at whatever you do while finding joy in the small things and that 'anything worth doing is worth doing well', something I believe your mom taught you.

You've passed on a love for being outdoors, gardening, baking, dare I say house-work, and not-to-mention my love for interior design which I believe you fostered from a young age.

You understand my tendencies, preferences, passions, and dreams like no one else and never encouraged me to be anything more or less than who I am. There's such security in that.

You've seen me walk through the hardest times in my life, and in fact, we've walked through most of them together.

Now as an adult, you are my biggest cheerleader, tough-love giver, proof-reader, favorite meal-maker, forever confidant.... and most, of all, a great friend. 

Love, 

                     Kelsey xx

Motherhood can take many different forms - the mother that brought you into the world, a mother-in-law, a step-mom, a grandmother, an adopted mom, an aunt, a mom-to-be, a mother-hoping-to-be, or even a close friend that has impacted your life in a motherly way - whatever you think of when you hear 'mom' today, the women in our lives deserve to be celebrated.  

Wishing a very Happy Mother's Day to all the 'moms' out there!