Unfortunately there were some misinterpretation and it started a mini-twitter-war on the correct definition of a 母亲.
I know there are different ways to become a 母亲 (giving birth, adopting, marrying someone with children, etc). I became a 母亲 when my baby was born (that is the perspective I am writing from as it is the only 母亲-experience I have). Being a 母亲, however, is much more than that in my opinion.
I was trying to make the point that all the every day things mentioned in the post makes you a 母亲 and not just giving birth as the Oxford dictionary defines a 母亲.
请查看帖子中的评论以进一步说明。
What do you think makes a 母亲 a 母亲?
劳恩,我不是妈妈,应该让我自己退出讨论。但是,我是一个女人,对所有生命,特别是孩子有着深切的同情心。我同意您尝试在帖子中传达的观点。很明显(至少对我而言),您认为母亲不仅仅是单纯的生孩子。我已经看到了成年照护者忽视和/或虐待儿童的巨大痛苦-无论是母亲,父亲,家庭成员,老师,导师…这些照料者完全不符合“mother”, even if they do birth the child. Our view of a 母亲 is highly colored by our own upbringing and experience of our own 母亲. To me, she is a fiduciary of our hopes and dreams, not merely one that provides food and clothes. She forms our characters, shapes our personalities and can place us on a path of success. I am very fortunate to have such a 母亲. A large portion of my character and world view has been shaped by her caring influence. She taught me to view the world through a lens of compassion and tolerance. By no means do I always live up to this, but she also taught me to accept my mistakes and forge ahead. She not only 母亲ed and nurtured me and my brother, but all the children in the extended family. Her kindness has softened the hard knocks of life for many a cousin or friend of mine. She is a soft place to fall when the world seems dark and the first one to share in the joy when the light comes back. That, in my humble opinion, is a 母亲.
Wow, your 母亲 is truly a remarkable woman! May all 母亲s strive to be more like that. Thank you for taking the time to comment.