You’re still a mom.
Even though many may not call you that
Even though your baby is no longer here to say ‘mama’
You’re a mom
Even though your arms are empty
And you’ve had to remove the crib from beside your bed
You will always be a mom
Even though your home is silent
And all you want to hear is the sound of your baby’s cry again, just one more time
You have the body that says so
The scars that show so
The instincts within you, though you’ve had to stifle them
Your being has brought forth life
Your hands have carried your creation
You’ve housed another soul
You’ve loved that soul from the very beginning
And you chose that soul with every cell within you
You’re still a mom
Nothing will ever change that
Whether you physically hold all your babies, or whether you hold them in your heart instead
You’re. A. Mom.
And most of all, you’re her mom
She saw you show up when you could barely stand
She heard you walk through the door every hour, every day
Your voice three notes higher every time you lay eyes on her
Because only she could bring that joy out of you in the middle of the storm
Only she could be your shelter from the rain
You’re her mom
And she felt you there
When you were medicated, hungry and forgot that you were physically in pain
Falling asleep by her crib was sometimes all you could muster on the difficult days
You’re her mom
Out of all the billion homes in this world, yours was selected
Because only you were right for this task
Only you could have loved irrevocably and wholeheartedly
Without wanting anything in return but to see your baby breathing
Only you were brave enough to walk through hell
The only one courageous enough to look death in the face and say, ‘I will never give up. Even at the end.’
You are exactly what your little precious soul needed here on Earthside
You’re her mom
Tied to her forever, and even after that
So, you’re still a mom
Even though you cannot fit in with the other moms whose babies are here
And even though nothing can bring your baby back
You’re. A. Mom.
Wear it proudly.
Say it bravely.
Serve it truly.
For all of your days
Because there is only one of you
And you’re the one she chose for her tender heart.