So I had a quick encounter with some friends and acquaintances at the mall recently and one of them asked how we were. The usual greetings, quick updates and some random Do-you-remembers took place. Then this conversation happened…

Mom Friend 1 to Mom Friend 2: I haven’t seen any new posts from you on Facebook lately! What do you do now?

Mom Friend 2: Oh, I’m just a mom.

Eeep! Hang on. JUST A MOM?! 

What do you mean “just a mom”?

Didn’t you just push a tiny little human being out of your va-jay-jay? Not to mention the fact that you carried it for nine months as it grew, took part of your nutrients, made you all nauseous and cranky and crazy in ways not even yourself can understand, made your t#ts sore and swell and leak, made sleeping uneasy and uncomfortable as it got heavier each day, and – don’t forget – changed your body forever. It probably even made Ms. V down there do an unusual emoji face like this 😋. And mind you, that’s not even the entirety of motherhood. That’s just the beginning. You also nurture your child, protect your child, RAISE YOUR CHILD. Strong emphasis on the last one as it’s not exactly a walk in the park. In fact, it is one of the craziest, hardest tasks in life – EVER. 

To add to that, moms also balance EVERYTHING with their kid/s and their spouse. Sometimes it’s fun, most of the time it’s maddening; and yet here we are, always appearing to be calm as if we have it all together. Plus, we have a gazillion of other things on top of our heads, too. Nay, on top of our priorities. Bills, budget, daily bread, household chores, errands, and everybody’s needs including the help.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not mad nor annoyed at Mom Friend 2 at all. If anything, I feel for her. At some point in my life and my motherhood journey, I had the same feelings, too. Sometimes I feel like I haven’t accomplished anything yet. Or that I wasted my degree. But then I look at my life and I smile, and I even remember how much I dreamt of having a family by age 26. Then I always end up saying, “Thank you, Lord.” 

You see, us moms need to be there for each other. We need to lift each other up. Feelings of inferiority, self-doubt and even worthlessness can dawn into us in between our very crazy lives and I’m not saying these feelings are not valid. They are. We just have to be aware that being a mom is not a little thing. Being a mom may not require any diploma and professional experience but being someone with any diploma, professional experience, or any kind of life at all requires a mother. 

Whether you are a stay-at-home working mom, a housewife, a career mom, you are awesome. I mean, who else can rock a pair of Manolos and a Gucci dress with an alphabet-printed baby bag better than a mom? A brandless top with a chic pair of trousers and some rugged sneaks with a fully-packed multicolored baby bag? Or how about a cute shirt with a spit stain or a splotch of baby vomit? And yes, the eye bags, the messy hair tied up, the make-up-less face. Also, moms are like human octopuses. How many times have you tried doing multiple things at once? Carrying the baby on one hand while doing kitchen stuff, talking to someone on the phone, talking to someone on the door, mopping the floor with your feet, checking emails? And all these while making sure everybody in the house is ALIVE. I know, we did it.

All these things don’t even cover the exact list of a mom’s job description.

So you know what? You are not JUST a mom. You are A MOM – the light of the household… the heart of the family… the epitome of beauty among chaos… the one who does the work of twenty – for free… the real-life Wonder Woman.

You are a mom. You are amazing. Despite all the poop and fart, the messy hair, the messy kitchen, the messy house, and the chaotic feeling of uncertainty when it comes to raising your kids right, you are amazing. We are amazing.