Mother’s Day isn’t just about cards and cakes.
It’s about the kind of love that never ends.
It’s a day that stirs up memories, brings reflection, and reminds us just how many ways there are to mother, and be mothered.
In honour of Mother’s Day, we reached out to people and asked them: What does Mother’s Day mean to you?
The answers came through thoughtful messages and voice notes, each one layered with personal truths.
What follows is not a list of quotes but a woven thread of stories – full of tenderness, fatigue, joy, loss, gratitude, and deep respect.
The First Ideas of Love
For six-year-old Layth, Mother’s Day is full of excitement and simplicity:
“It’s a day for mothers! Like when you make them surprises.
It’s birthday for only mothers, everywhere!”
His words remind us that even at a young age, children understand love as an action.
A drawing. A hug. A handmade card.
For many of us, that’s where the idea of Mother’s Day begins – in small, thoughtful things that show someone you care.
Quiet Acts, Deep Meaning
Not everyone sees Mother’s Day as something that needs to be big or over the top.
For Zam, it’s the small things that make it meaningful:
“To me, it feels like an ordinary day”
But a simple gesture like wishing her Happy Mother’s Day or cooking her a meal makes a difference.
Zam believes the heart of Mother’s Day isn’t about expensive gifts or flowers.
It’s in the intention. The quiet effort. The kind act that says, ‘I see you.’
For many, that’s more than enough.
Love That Started Before Motherhood
Vanitha shared that her understanding of motherhood began long before she became a mother herself.
When her own mother was recovering from a serious fire accident, it was her aunts who stepped in to raise her and her siblings.
Later, when her mum had to work far away, Vanitha quietly took on the role of caregiver at home:
‘I didn’t wait to become a mother,’ she said.
‘I just became one, in my own way, from early on.’
That caring spirit never left her.
Even now, friends and family affectionately call her ‘Big Momma,’ because they know she’ll always be the one to nurture and protect.
When her son Dhanesh was born, it felt like a natural continuation of everything she had already been doing – just now with deeper meaning.
And when she lost her husband, motherhood shifted again, becoming quieter and heavier, but even more precious.
“To me, being a mum is about presence. It’s about loving someone enough to keep showing up, even when it’s hard.”
The Need for Rest and Recognition
Athirah offered a response that many mothers will quietly agree with:
“To me, Mother’s Day is a Mama’s Day off.
No cooking, no chores, no one asking me what’s for dinner. Just peace.”
While the world often celebrates mums for doing everything, Athirah’s words are a reminder that sometimes the best gift is time.
Time to rest, to be still, to exist without needing to care for everyone else – even if just for a day.
The Love That Outlives Us
In reflecting on my own experience, I’ve come to see Mother’s Day as a layered moment – soft but also a little heavy.
It’s about acknowledging everything mothers do, seen and unseen.
It’s about remembering our own mothers while we’re busy becoming one.
It’s about giving ourselves grace when we fall short, because mothering is never perfect, just persistent.
Mother’s Day is also about those who don’t get celebrated loudly, mothers who are grieving, mothers-in-waiting, single mothers doing double duty, and even those mother figures who may not have children of their own but love just as deeply.
It’s a moment to pause, shut out the noise, and return to what matters most.
That the love we carry as mothers and the love we received from our mothers is forever.
The Ones Who Always Show Up
Syed Aizat shared something that struck a deep chord:
“Mother’s Day is one day that should be appreciated every day.”
‘I don’t think many people really see the sacrifices a mother makes, maybe because we’ve always trusted that they’ll show up no matter what. And that trust becomes something we take for granted.’
He sees this day as a much-needed reminder:
‘Not just for the nine months they carried us, or the labour they endured, or the years they spent feeding, cleaning, teaching, and loving us. It’s for all of that and of course, more.’
“It’s for the moments they were there, even when it didn’t seem to matter. It’s for showing up, quietly, constantly, without question. That’s what we owe them thanks for.”
A New Kind of Understanding
For some, Mother’s Day starts out as a routine: a bouquet, a meal, a card. A gesture that ticks the box.
That was true for Umapagan for many years.
‘Mother’s Day, for the longest time, was a perfunctory exercise,’ he shared.
‘Flowers. Lunch. Maybe a cake. I bought the card. I ticked all of the boxes.’
It was never about a lack of love.
‘I’ve always loved my mother deeply, and I’ve never been shy about showing it,’ he said.
“But until I became a parent myself, I didn’t quite realise what motherhood actually entailed.”
He admitted that while society often shows us motherhood in broad strokes – in books, in movies, in passing conversations, there’s so much that remains hidden.
“There’s just so much our mothers internalise. Things they never say out loud. Struggles they carry quietly because no parent wants to burden their child with those truths.”
Now, as a father, Umapagan doesn’t claim to fully understand motherhood.
‘Fatherhood is a completely different beast,’ he said.
‘But watching my wife go through IVF, pregnancy, and now, the reality of raising our son, it has changed everything I thought I knew.’
He still gives flowers. He still writes a card. He still buys the cake.
But now, each act carries a different weight – a deeper respect, a quieter knowing.
In the End, It’s About Showing Up
Through every story we received, from children drawing their love in crayons, to mothers carrying silent burdens, to fathers realising the depth of motherhood only after seeing it up close, one thing became clear: Mother’s Day is not about perfection or grand gestures.
It’s about presence.
It’s about showing up, whether with a meal, a message, a quiet prayer, or simply a moment of pause to acknowledge all that mothers do.
For some, it’s a day of celebration.
For others, it’s a space for grief, gratitude, or gentle reflection.
But for all of us, it’s a chance to recognise the kind of love that keeps going, without asking for recognition, and often without rest.
So, whatever this day looks like for you, loud or quiet, joyful or tender – may it be real. May it be enough.
Happy Mother’s Day to all our fellow mums from Motherhood with love! Thank you for all that you do, always.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as medical advice from Motherhood. For any health-related concerns, it is advisable to consult with a qualified healthcare professional or medical practitioner.
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