There is a certain sisterhood in motherhood that speaks to the heart of every mum. A connection that is formed at the moment of the birth of a first child which binds us forever together. It surfaces in the form of a smile at the park when the kids are happy playing, and again with the meeting of understanding eyes in the supermarket aisle when all hell breaks loose. It’s a quick chat with a stranger sharing advice that worked for her, or a salute of praise seeing the sleeping baby as you pass on the footpath. It’s one mother seeing another struggling with a new, crying baby, and not hesitating for a single second to go over and help her out. This is an unspoken bond that fuses one mother to another, age and cultural background inconsequential. An alliance that only the journey of pregnancy and the toil of labour to bring a child into the world can provide. Subscribers to this special group recognise each other on a broader stage than just everyday life, and can come to one another in times of need.

My mother is the strongest figure in this sisterhood for me. With an endless trail of advice, the origin being life, she provides me with information I almost always use.  She’s our Resident Doctor, Investigator and Researcher On All Things In General, and she can whip up a delicious meal in no time, with no recipe.  Welcoming to all who cross her path, hospitable and accommodating at all times. There’s never a dull moment when she’s around; she comes armed with a story to tell or some advice to share, always for the benefit of someone else. A beacon of light over on the East Coast, she’s burning consistently…dependable, reliable, her counsel coveted.

Joining the motherhood club has allowed me to develop this connection I speak of with my mum, and grateful doesn’t even begin to describe it. Without her as captain, our ship would surely sink.

Happy Mother’s Day Deb, I love you immensely.