MOTHERHOOD. What does it mean?
I asked this question to Molly and got an eye opening answer. But before I met her, I hadn't known anything about her. I had many people nominate her, and decided to see for myself "What is the beauty everyone sees in Molly?" I reached out to Elissa, one of our mutual friends and asked her what she can tell me about Molly.
This was her response: "Molly was my son's Morah (teacher in Hebrew) at JB in his two-year-old year. I didn't know her until then but heard great things about her from other parents. From a parent perspective I loved her cuz she was so patient and loving to the kids who she practically considered her own in a "super cool, chilled out mom" kind of way! But I was able to recognize her beauty as a person as I got to know more about her. She connected me with a shelter that she works with and I was able to donate lots of clothes and baby formula - so through her I felt like a better person. She also went on maternity leave during the year she was my son's teacher as she fostered a baby girl. I mean, which foster-to-adoption parent ISN'T beautiful!! Seeing a lot of her personal life via her Facebook and Instagram pictures you can see how incredible of a heart she has. You can just tell she works hard at her successful relationship with her husband, is an incredible mom to her biological son (that she thought she would never have!) and adopted daughter, just as she is with her "school kids". She focuses on each relationship she has in her family, making them feel special on their own, instead of just regular family time (which she does too!) She is incredible giving to the world around her, helping people less fortunate out of pure genuine goodness and making it a huge priority to instill those values in her kids and students.) I know this sounds a little sappy and honestly, I don't even know her in her day to day life that well but she just oozes the beauty you're looking for, you'll know when you meet her!
I have to say, that when I met Molly, everything I had heard really rang true! She is truly an amazing woman in such a quiet, gentle and unassuming way.
I asked Molly what she thinks motherhood means. What does being a mother mean to her? She responded, "I think being a mother is not defined in a biological sense, but moreso being a "Mother Figure". Whether it's to my biological son, my (foster) daughter or my students, I have the responsibility of a mother towards them."
Her response echoed what my friend had told me - of how she instills values in everyone - her children, her students and those around her. If she sees the need, she fills it. And you can truly see and feel her motherhood in every relationship, action and reaction she has. She truly has an amazing level of love toward everyone she comes in contact with. I could feel her energy; positive and strong, but in a refined and measured way.
Molly has expended endless amounts of energy in the fields of foster care and adoption, and feels so passionately about this subject. "Every child should have the opportunity to grow up in a loving environment", she says. So much so, that her husband jokes that he's nervous to come home from work some days, because there might just be some new children in the house.
I spent an immensely enjoyable evening with Molly and her family, observing their interactions as they went through a typical evening. I hope these images give you the feeling of what being a mother entails. See the love, the laughter, the calm, quite moments and even the chaos, and appreciate the beauty of what may seem mundane. Because THIS IS MOTHERHOOD.