I wanted to write something for Mother’s Day today, but am finding it surprisingly hard.  I think what’s giving me problems is that it’s enormously difficult to write anything that’s not a mind-numbing cliché.

So, let me keep things very simple:  You wouldn’t be here today without your mum.  Literally.  If you don’t believe me, go make friends with a Biology teacher.  He’ll explain it to you.

You also wouldn’t be the person you are today without your mother (from here onwards read ‘whoever filled the role of mother in your life’).  This includes your negative traits, by the way – mothers mess up.

If you’re so lucky that your mother is still alive, give her a call today.  If she’s near enough, go visit and give her a hug.  Even if at this point you don’t really like her (it happens – she might even deserve it), put your own feelings aside for a day and appreciate the good that she has done.  Because you are who you are because of her.  And one day she’s going to be gone and then you won’t have that chance anymore.

So to all the birth mothers,  stepmothers, foster mothers, adoptive mothers, godmothers and even grandmothers out there: Happy Mother’s Day.  We appreciate you even if we don’t always show it.  Thanks for putting up with all our nonsense.

• Motivational