by Jefferson Pinto This Article: http://bit.ly/2kG4kmU

Apr. 2012, VIEW Issue 45: When I first arrived in the U.S., I didn’t speak the language. I didn’t know who was president. I didn’t even know the Constitution existed. I didn’t even have functional teeth.

Fortunately, I had a sponsor. We hadn’t spoken before, and my sponsor didn’t really know me. My sponsor didn’t fully understand the full cost of such a sponsorship. What if I were a slow learner or arrived with a horrible disease or defect?

Nevertheless, she accepted the terms of the sponsorship knowing there were no guarantees. My sponsor prepared for my arrival many months in advance to ensure my arrival was a smooth transition.

As my sponsor, she took me into her home where I caused a great disturbance for the existing occupants. I never missed a meal.

During my younger years, a day didn’t go by where I didn’t receive my one-on-one education: how to speak English, manners, and customs, morals, citizenship, etc. Because I was incapable, she made many decisions on my behalf without consulting me, such as diet, clothing, religion, entertainment, education, friends, and even cast her ballot in my best interest.

Thanks Mom.

Thank you for taking your prenatal vitamins and not smoking when you were pregnant with me. Thanks for forcing me to take piano lessons from the grouchy old lady with rhinestone studded cat glasses. Thanks for taking me to the doctor to get a cast for my broken foot, even though you warned me to stay off the garage roof from which I jumped. Thanks for taking me to the dentist to get crowns over my previously perfect teeth I knocked while riding my bicycle down a steep hill near our home.

But thank you most of all for telling me the truth when I needed to hear it. Thanks for letting me take chances where, more than often, I succeeded. And when I failed, you let me learn from my mistakes and encouraged me to keep trying.

Thank you for teaching me right from wrong and guiding me to become the man I am today. Thank you for giving of your mind, body, and soul without the expectation of anything in return. Thank you for giving me the very best of everything you had.

There’s something unique about motherhood. In addition to the sleep deprivation, emotional stress, back aches, and distortion on the mother’s body, there is a nine month waiting period to psychologically prepare her for the change of a lifetime (hers and mine).

No licenses or contracts are required. She can’t be voted in or out of office. There are very few regulations. Those government rules that do exist are at such a low standard that most mothers wouldn’t dream of violating them. If motherhood were a corporate job, it would violate occupational safety laws (OSHA) and labor laws (not child birth, the other labor). With poor ergonomics, exposure to biohazards, lack of safety equipment, compensation far less than the federal minimum wage, excessive overtime, workplace harassment from self-absorbed teenagers, no health or retirement benefits, who wouldn’t look for a better job? Mothers!

On the Job Performance

So why do they perform so well on the job under conditions considered intolerable by government standards. Motherhood is the epitome of agape (γάπη). It is defined as the love that brings forth caring regardless of the circumstance. It is unconditional love.

So how does society thank our Mothers of today?

By selling us out to financial political contributors, taxing the “tar” out of us all, lowering our standard of living, and requiring mothers to take a job outside their home to make ends meet. By over charging them for maternity clothing. Why is a garment with maybe 10% more material triple the price of non-maternity counterparts? By judging her, if her children don’t have perfectly combed hair, straight white teeth, and spotless clothing as portrayed in the television commercials. By overlooking them for a promotion because then can’t sustain long out of town business trips or work crazy overtime.

Happy Mother’s Day

President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed May 9, 1914, the first Mother’s Day. He asked Americans on that day to give a public “thank you” to their mothers and all mothers. Depending on who tabulates the numbers, there are more long distance phone calls on Mother’s Day than any other day of the year. That’s a tradition worth keeping. By the way, I understand mothers like calls to hear your voice several times throughout the year, with or without a good reason. Text messages or e-mails don’t count either. And, by the way happy Mother’s Day.

- Jefferson Pinto

Jefferson Pinto is a retired CPA, and holds an MBA from one of the finer accredited universities in the country.

This Article: http://bit.ly/2kG4kmU 

Original Source, Pg 6: Apr. 2012, VIEW, Issue 45

LINK: Classic VIEW Website

LINK: NewVIEW Website

LINK: PDF Back Issues - Ojai and Ventura VIEW