A Mother’s Love in Every Language

Author: Rajasree Datta

 In English, we say Mother.
En français, on dit Maman.
বাংলায়, আমরা বলি মা.
हिंदी में, हम कहते हैं माँ.

English, French, Bengali, and Hindi—these are the languages my daughter speaks, and in each, the word “mother” embodies her first and most profound connection to home and security.

Motherhood doesn’t start with a celebration—it starts with a cry in the dark, a diaper change at 3 a.m., or a toddler clinging to your leg while you try to make breakfast. It’s hard, unglamorous work that often goes unseen. As a mother of one, I often find myself reflecting on the village that helped raise me, and now, the one helping me raise her.

This is my story, but it’s also the story of every mother—across languages, borders, and generations. Those raising children in new homelands, preserving old traditions, and showing up every day with strength the world may never fully see. Mother’s Day is more than flowers and cards. It’s a moment to recognize the invisible work, the quiet courage, and the boundless love that shapes our homes and communities.
That’s why events that bring mothers together are so meaningful.

On May 9, 2025, TNO’s EarlyON Child & Family Centre hosted a heartwarming Mother’s Day celebration. Surrounded by mothers and children ages 0-6 years, they danced, created art, and shared laughter. Just days earlier, on a sunny Sunday afternoon in Leamington, TNO took part in another Mother’s day celebration hosted by the Consulate of Mexico and the Windsor-Essex Bilingual Legal Clinic. We came together to honor migrant worker mothers, whose strength and resilience are the backbone of both their families and the communities they serve. These women, many of whom labor in Ontario’s agricultural sector, are miles from home, working tirelessly, yet finding time to nurture their children. Whether you are a mother holding your child close today or one sending love across oceans, know this: your love is seen. Your sacrifices matter. And you are not alone.

This Mother’s Day, I celebrate all of us. The ones who pass down culture, love across time zones, who show up day after day with full hearts even when our hands are empty. This is motherhood in every language.

Happy Mother’s Day.