Sunday marks a very special day, one that is often overlooked and doesn’t get near the attention it probably deserves. Without Mother’s Day, and the namesakes which we honor, we wouldn’t be here to celebrate any other holidays.

Mother’s Day means lots of different things to different people. Regardless of the relationship, someone has with his or her mother, we can each be thankful for being brought into this world. Hopefully, we will all pause from our busy lives and take a few moments this weekend to say “thank you” to all the mothers in our lives

In trying to think of the best way to fully articulate what moms mean, it is probably best to look at the words of others. Here are some true gems that shine like those they honor.

“Motherhood is a great honor and privilege, yet it is also synonymous with servanthood. Every day women are called upon to selflessly meet the needs of their families. Whether they are awake at night nursing a baby, spending their time and money on less-than-grateful teenagers, or preparing meals, moms continuously put others before themselves.”

— Charles Stanley, pastor and author

“Mama was my greatest teacher, a teacher of compassion, love and fearlessness. If love is sweet as a flower, then my mother is that sweet flower of love.”

—  Stevie Wonder, musician

“My mom has made it possible for me to be who I am. Our family is everything. Her greatest skill was encouraging me to find my own person and own independence.”

— Charlize Theron, actress

“The commonest fallacy among women is that simply having children makes them a mother–which is as absurd as believing that having a piano makes one a musician.”

—Sydney J. Harris, journalist

“Being a full-time mother is one of the highest salaried jobs… since the payment is pure love.”

— Mildred B. Vermont, businesswoman and author

“Most mothers are instinctive philosophers.”

— Harriet Beecher Stowe, author

“A mother is a person who seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie.”

— Tenneva Jordan, author

Thank you to all the mothers out there who do so much for us and always selflessly sacrifice that pie. Happy Mother’s Day.

Michael Caldwell is publisher of The Winchester Sun and Winchester Living magazine. He can be reached at (859) 759-0095 or by email at mike.caldwell@winchestersun.com.