"When I find myself in times of trouble Mother Mary comes to me, speaking words of wisdom, let it be.

And in my hour of darkness, she is standing in front of me, speaking words of wisdom, let it be ...

And when the night is cloudy, there is still light that shines on me. Shinin' until tomorrow, let it be.

I wake up to the sound of music, Mother Mary comes to me, speaking words of wisdom, let it be."

— The Beatles

During a 2018 interview Paul McCartney recalled his mother who died of cancer when he was 14, came to him in a dream, and was reassuring that everything will be OK. Just let it be, dissipate your troubles.

Mom is inherently nurturing, supportive, forgiving, judicious, resilient and impervious to pain. Invariably her smile turns a precarious meteorite into a scintillating falling star. As Christina Aguilera's voice beautifully resonates: "For a shield from the storm, for a friend, for a love to keep me safe and warm, I turn to you. For the strength, to be strong, for the will to carry on, for everything you do I turn to you."

Being devoted to the family, our pragmatic moms relentlessly tend the household, take us to school, assist with homework, attend our academic, and sporting events, and are a major source of inspiration, kindness and love. Mom plays a pivotal role in teaching us right from wrong and implementing and reinforcing a strong value system and work ethic.

During dinners, weddings and family events, her radiant love shines and catapults the family's heart to the sweetest pinnacle. As Stevie Wonder so emblematically and poignantly sings: "You are the sunshine of my life, you are the apple of my eye, forever you'll stay in my heart."

Having mother's beacon of hope, we heed her counsel that closely correlates with Lynyrd Skynyrd's prudent lyrics: "Don't live too fast, troubles come, and they will pass. ... Forget your lust for the rich man's gold, all you need is in your soul. ... Boy, don't you worry, you'll find yourself, follow your heart and nothing else. ... Be a simple kind of man, something you love and understand."

A microcosm of mom's ubiquitous kindness and love can be depicted in Elvis Presley's serene, yet powerful. lyrics: "Love me tender, love me sweet, never let me go. You have made my life complete, and I love her so. Love me tender, love me true, all my dreams fulfilled. For my darling [mother] I love you and I always will."

Mom has persevered through many trials and tribulations and does not expect any reimbursement. She prays for our happiness, well-being, and unwavering love; and that we should guide and love her grandchildren correspondingly.

Whitney Houston's resplendent Greatest Love of All is the epitome of mom's wishes: "Teach them well and let them lead the way. Show them all the beauty they possess inside. Give them a sense of pride to make it easier. Let the children's laughter remind us how we used to be."

Proverbs 31:31 Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

Doug Strosnider is a resident of Winchester.