My favorite word in Spanish is “mamá.” It is a very simple word that has its identical equivalents in every language. Mom, mamma, mamãe, 쮜쮜, 엄마, anne, Mама, 徊徊. A simple word with so many meanings.

When I was a child, “mamá” was the word that saved me from nightmares, pain, boredom, and distress. “Mamá” was the sweet lullaby and the kiss on the forehead just before I fell asleep in my bed, the calm voice that tamed the black monster in the darkness, the warm hand that took me to school every day, the gentle caress that soothed me when I fell off the swing in the park and encouraged me to swing even higher, the beautiful stories that she read to me in bed when I was sick, the delicious smell of tortilla de patatas when I arrived home from class on Fridays during Lent, the caring arms that hugged me when I had no friends and was feeling lonely. “Mamá” gave me food, shelter, music, books, love, and life.

I grew up, and the word “mamá” started to lose its importance. I was walking on my own and I didn’t need to say it so often. 

Then, one afternoon, with the pain of a birth and the cry of a baby, I suddenly realized that I, myself, had become “mamá,” and my world trembled under my feet. 

From then on, I had to fight my worries, my weariness, and my weaknesses. I tried to be the sweet lullaby and the kiss on the forehead just before my sons fell asleep in their beds, the calm voice that tamed the black monster in the darkness, the warm hand that took them to school every day, the gentle caress that soothed them when they fell off the swing in the park and encouraged them to swing even higher, the beautiful stories that I read to them in bed when they were sick, the delicious smell of tortilla de patatas when they arrived home from class on Fridays during Lent, the caring arms that hugged them when they had no friends and were feeling lonely. I gave them food, shelter, music, books, love, and life. 

I wasn’t perfect, but I did my best, just as my mom, my grandma, and so many other women before me. I embraced and understood the effort, the sacrifice, and the infinite fear that “mamá” brings with it. 

And also, the happiness.