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Insight
There are many children who know their mothers by a number of names before they really know their real names; do you remember the names you once used to describe mother?
If you are like most people the first name you called your mother was probably associated with your infant verbal skills. Scholars tell us that at about four months old, babies can understand all the basic sounds that make up the native language. Between this time and six months of age, babies develop the ability to make some vocal sounds, which means mothers may hear the words they've been dreaming about, namely "ma-ma." While child development experts say it's too early for your baby to connect those sounds with the actual persons associated with the words, mothers are nevertheless still excited.
It will be a few more months before children start to associate the words "mama" to the person they will later know as mother.
Once the association is made, many continue to refer to their mothers as "mama."
Others will adopt other terms of endearment that refer to her. One of the terms is mother but to millions that term is "Muhdear" or even shorter "Muh."
Muhdear is the term for mother that sticks among those who associate the woman who nurtures them with a name.
Many children can't use the term "Muhdear" or any other term because they do not really know their mothers.
There are many who live in the same house with the mother in their families and do not know them. Of course, we know their names and their vital statistics: birthday, maiden name, education and other information available on any resume’’; yet with all of that knowledge can we answer the question, "who is my mother?” There are many children who live under the same roof with their mothers and do not know them yet? They are familiar with her but we don’t really know the woman we call mother.
Motherhood is not always a matter of biology but it is a matter of relationships. Those who are fortunate had not just one Muhdear but scores of supportive relationships that make it necessary to thank God for my birth, but also for those who gave me nurture after birth. There was a neighborhood of mothers, but only one Muhdear.
As Christians, we give God thanks for our mothers. We celebrate who they were, who they are, and they have helped us to be. Whether we call them mama, Muhdear or mother, we praise God for them every day.