Before I became a mother, I didn't understand why any woman would choose to take on the role of parent. All I heard was how exhausting, frustrating, and all-around difficult it is to be a mom. Women were quick to tell me that they never slept, they barely showered, and they felt like they were drowning under the constant pressures and obligations that come with raising a child. Of course, I was told all the reasons why motherhood is beautiful and well worth the hardship, but I was also told motherhood was stressful and scary and taxing and, back then, the cons seemed to outweigh the pros.
Now that I'm a mother, I realize why moms love being a parent. Is it easy? No. Is it absolutely awesome in so many new, exciting, and surprising ways that even the most upsetting of days pales in comparison to the looks they give you and the things they say and the ways they love you? Yes, yes, a thousand times, yes. Being a parent means you're constantly afraid for your child, constantly worried you're doing a great job, but loving every minute of it because that terror is mixed with delight and wonder and so much love that there are days your chest aches and your breathe catches behind your smiling teeth. It's this marvelous, pain-in-the-ass mix of good and bad; a true representation of humanity itself, all wrapped up in a relationship between a mother and her child that is constantly growing, always evolving, and consciously being nourished through love, pain, hardship, and happiness. It's the knowledge that yes, you could (and will, trust me) mess up, but you will also help guide another human being through life and into the world, giving them the tools to experience every beautiful, horrible, magnificent and melancholy moment that makes life worth living.
In short, it's a crazy ride that can sometimes make you nauseous, but one you never, ever, want to end. Here are 22 moms, sharing why they love being a parent, because there's real magic in motherhood. A magic worth sharing.