Editor's note: To mark Mother's Day, our forum readers share their stories and show their deep love and appreciation for their mothers.

teamkrejados (France)

One day, I peeled an apple and the peel did not break. While holding up the long strand of peel, I gleefully proclaimed that I was good at peeling apples, and I could make a career of it. My mother intoned: "That's the thing about a career: you only get to do the one thing, over and over." I was crushed. I had expected praise, and I got slam-dunked.

After she made her devastating observation of my success, I was horrified at the idea of having to do the same thing, over and over, for the rest of my life. I vowed I would never, ever do that. And I never have.

I've been a nanny, a factory production worker, a restaurant worker and a sales clerk. I've been an office worker, a mechanic and later (after some education) an engineer, and now I am a teacher and traveler. The only stability in my life was and still is my mother's grandchildren. For them I stayed in one place, long enough to assure their future success.

At the time I thought it was rather cruel of my mother to ridicule my success, but now I see that she was giving me the freedom to experience everything life has to offer without being tied to a social must: a stable career. My life has been so rich because of her observation.