As mommies, we come from different walks of life. We all have unique situations and backgrounds that have molded us into the individuals we are today. However, we share one like thing: we are mothers and we love our children in the core of our hearts. This past Mother's day, I had a unique experience that has kept me pondering for days. Let's rewind to the scenario.

Tables are covered with pink paper and flower centerpieces. There is an aura of warmth and happiness in the room. Cookies are overflowing on the plates and juice is splashing. Laughter and joy fills the room of twenty little ones and 19 moms. One sad face with teary blue eyes yearns for his mommy to be there like the rest. My heart goes out to this little boy.

"My mommy said she was coming," he said. I know I can only try my best to be his mom for the day. My heart is aching, and I literally cannot finish the first page of the story "I'll Love you Forever." A solemn silence fills the room. We are so connected and we all understand each other, so it seems. We finish the story and turn to some happy fun songs.

The day is almost beautiful and perfect, so it seems. Our handprint butterly placemats are so lovely with our little poem and ribbon. Mommies grasp them like treasures and most will save them forever. Now let's fast forward to the end of the day. As I am circling the room, I notice one of the handprint placemats has been cut out into a perfect symetrical square. It seems one mom has taken a pair of scissors, cut out the poem and discarded the handprint.

Yes, thrown her child's butterfly into the trash. Possibly, her son was not reciting the poem loudly enough in front of the class. Yes, this mom does have extremely high academic standards and was hugely disappointed by her son's apparent lack of participation in the poem. To teach a lesson, the poem was cut and the rest of the butterfly was discarded. Or, she was disappointed by the gift all together and was sending a message to me that this was just "fluff." I never confronted or even asked. I tried not to judge, but how could I not? Many emotions filled my heart, but in the end it came down to Why would she do that? We may never know the answer to this perplexing question

We ask why and how? We don't always know the circumstance behind everything and just hope that everything is o.k. As moms we need to be a village and a support for other moms and children. That means wrapping our arms around the more troubled mom's who aren't doing as well as we are and offering compassion and support instead of judging.

---