Last night, as people started posting Mother’s Day tributes, I was struck, as I always am, by how many of us have lost our moms. Some relatively recently and some, like me, so long ago. In fact, I realized, my mom has been gone from my life nearly twice as long as she was with me.

Yet, despite the many years of defining myself as a motherless child, she has been with me every day. Her support, her belief in me, her constant encouragement, enabled me to become the person I am. Her unshakeable commitment to family and connection, helped me learn the truth I often say, that life is all about relationships.

As a mother myself, I have had the gift of watching my children grow and marveling at the men they have become. As a stepmom, I have understood, without any question or doubt, that there is more than enough love to go around. And, as a grandparent, I have experienced another level of gratitude as I see our children as parents and our grandchildren as true treasures in our lives.

But I know with certainty that mothering is far more than the biological relationship or the one that exists between parent and child. It is about those people in your life that show you love and care without expectation, who are there for you no matter what. It is about those who listen to you without judging, who hold you up when you falter, who know when a hug has far more value than words.

At the core of mothering is trust, knowing that you can be accepted, warts and all; knowing that you can allow yourself to be vulnerable; knowing that you are, and will be, safe. To give the gift of mothering to another, and to receive it that gift yourself, are truly expressions of a full heart.