Mothers are our first home

By Marjorie Dannenfelser

President, Susan B. Anthony List

As Mother’s Day approaches, I am reminded of a beautiful story I once heard. While serving the poor in Calcutta, Mother Teresa once found a young boy on the streets and brought him back to Shishu Bhavan—one of the homes she established for impoverished and disabled children. There, the boy was given food and clean clothes—but he ran away! The next day, again the boy was brought back to Shishu Bhavan, and again he ran away. Three times, the boy ran away, until on the third day, one of the Sisters followed him.

“Why do you keep running away from home?” the Sister asked when she caught up to him. The boy pointed to a tree, under which a woman was standing, cooking a simple meal of food she had found in the garbage. “But this is home,” he said, “This is where my mother is.”

Every time I hear that story I am struck by the pure, simple meaning of those words. “But this is home. This is where my mother is.” Our mothers are our first home. A mother’s love for her child is so powerful—I really do believe it can accomplish miracles. Despite all poverty, loves conquers all.

Love is the reason we are in this battle for Life.

Abortion is in direct opposition to Love. Abortion breaks down the door to our first home, and rips us apart. Not only are millions of innocent children destroyed in the womb each year, but that number of women are left in misery because of abortion. To destroy motherhood is to destroy Love and Life itself.

On this Mother’s Day let us be grateful for the love of our mothers. As they found the strength to love and protect us at our most vulnerable moment, let us seek the strength to continue this fight to defend the lives of unborn children across this country.

May God bless you and your mother on this day!