Being a mother is the most important calling a woman can ever have. A mother is one-half the sole source to ensure future generations a bright and stable future. Often, we do not comprehend the sacredness of this position that a mother holds. With this sacred duty, a mother is an absolute miracle of the Creator’s greatest creation - LIFE. Let’s review an astounding curriculum that recently broke it down for me.
Personally, as I began my new role here at Native American Fatherhood and Families Association (NAFFA), this perspective, this reminder, this powerful yet simple explanation of what Motherhood is, gave me goosebumps at the thought of how important I am as a mother.
Little old me, a wife with four children in tow; I have the power to shape another’s life with this sacred duty I hold. This isn’t rocket science you say. On the contrary! Previously, my role as a mother might have been something like “ehh, I’ll wear blue socks today” (just another role, decision, choice that I make daily for me and my children). But not any more! What I am learning is changing my perception, and my life! Maybe I slid into the motherhood glove easily; I know others have tougher situations than mine. I’m also far from perfect and have made many mistakes.
Regardless of where you currently are, please remember - Motherhood is Sacred! I have been taught timeless truths in the classes I have attended - starting on my very first day on the job. This curriculum taught me five core principles that have been groundbreaking for me. They are;
Creator
Choice
Teachable
Wisdom
Service
After learning more about each principle, I began to be reminded of what my elders had said around the fireplace many years back.
Creator:
Whatever your belief may be, knowing that there is a higher power at work to hear our cries, soothe our souls, and inspire us to change is so important to being a great mother. This all-powerful deity is not judgmental, but loves us for who we are without any end. These higher powers believe in us and all the goodness we are, just as the day we were all brought into this world. They will also welcome us as we leave this world. It is up to us on what we do with the time we have here on earth. As a mother, I have found that simple and sincere prayer is so important to get us through our everyday trials and tribulations. Once I allowed the Creator into my heart, it has been less trying on me to get through any struggle. As a matter of fact, it is comforting to me as a mother that I’m not the only person in this world looking out for my children. The Creator helps me with that. As my mentor, Mr. Albert Pooley (President and Founder of NAFFA) would say, “Native Americans are a praying people, it’s what got our ancestors through hell”.
“The food you eat, the language you speak, the color of
your skin, or the length of your hair, nothing makes you
more Native American than believing in the Creator and
prayer.”
- Albert M. Pooley
Choice:
The Fatherhood/Motherhood is Sacred curriculum here at NAFFA defines respect as the right to choose. Our ability to choose for ourselves for every decision, big or small, is what makes us free. As a mother, the choices we make greatly affects our family. The more we make good choices, the more beneficial it is to help us get closer to having a safe and happy home. I greatly emphasize the power of choice to my children, it is imperative they understand that if they do not make the right decisions in life, someone or something else will be making those choices for them.
“I believe the choice to become a mother is the choice to
become one of the greatest spiritual teachers there is.”
- Oprah Winfrey,
talk show host, television host, actor, and philanthropist Teachable:
This is probably the most important principle to me as a mother because we are learning things every single day. One must be clear headed and open-minded to learning in order to handle the pressures in life. As a parent, our children look up to us as if we have all the answers. I, for one, have had to admit that at times, I didn’t know the answer when put on the spot about an issue. It was with great relief to turn a mortifying event into a learning experience for both my children and I. They saw firsthand that even as a grown adult, we don’t have all the answers and so we must continue to be teachable. What’s more gratifying is when children see you learning, they only want to follow in your footsteps and do the same.
“Just be silent, humble and teachable. If you ever think
you know it all, that is the beginning of your troubles.”
- Israelmore Ayivor, Let's go to the Next Level
Wisdom:
As we get older, we begin to use our experiences, knowledge, and courage, all components of wisdom. As mothers, we must be the most understanding person for our entire family. This act of understanding in itself is an act of wisdom. As my mentor Mr. Pooley has stated, “there is nothing more sacred that the soft and tender heart of a loving and caring mother”. It is with that knowledge and understanding of ourselves as mothers, that we are able to guide our families to being truly safe and happy. By all means, it takes a tremendous amount of courage to stand tall and fight for our families but using our knowledge and past experiences as a guide, we can persevere through anything life throws at us.
"My mother's love has always been a sustaining force for
our family, and one of my greatest joys is seeing her integrity,
her compassion, her intelligence reflected in my daughters.
- Michelle Obama
Service:
When learning about Service, we understand that we've invited the Creator into our life. We also begin to understand the power of choice, that we implore to being teachable every day, and that we accept the duties as a mother using our wisdom. We now have become a person of Service, not just for our family, but all families, our community, and all mankind. We now understand the one purpose of having a safe and happy home. As a mother, this comes as second nature to us because we naturally love all children. We have it in our hearts to do what we can to ensure that all children are loved, cared for, and nurtured. As my mentor Mr. Pooley would say, “womanhood/motherhood is the secret weapon” for all. It is with our compassion, the sacrifices we make that we are absolute servants of our children and families. This in itself is Sacred. Motherhood is Sacred.
Mothers have a special way of saying, I love you, a love that God has given them, a love that will hold true. For Mothers sacrifice so much, providing for the home, creating there an
atmosphere that reflects God's love alone.
- M S Lowndes
NAFFA's Fatherhood/Motherhood is Sacred curriculum is fabulous. This is my review of a great and powerful program that is available to any of you interested in strengthening your families. This review (on steroids) doesn’t do justice to what the NAFFA curriculum truly covers, but is my humble and heartfelt expression of what I have personally learned and how it’s helped me to understand my duties as a mother. I implore each of you to seek this class, wherever you may be. Maybe one day you can teach it, using your wisdom - because that’s exactly what NAFFA encourages. NAFFA provides these classes for free (online and in-person), as well as training facilitators to teach these core principles.
You may learn more at www.nativeamericanfathers.org
or email me personally at: cherylh@aznaffa.org.