John Block Reports from Washington

Did you ever listen to the country song "No Charge"? The mother carries, feeds, nurtures her child. And yet, he wants to be paid for taking out trash, cleaning his room, watching baby brother. The mother reminds the boy of all the things she does in caring for him and "there is no charge."

On Mother's Day Weekend, I want to recognize all the mothers who have always been there for us at "no charge."

We are grateful to the mothers who have sacrificed to make Christmas special for us. Mothers who have gotten up early in the darkness to put the turkey in the oven for Thanksgiving. Mothers who helped us with our spelling, our arithmetic, our literature. Some mothers worked in town so we could afford to farm. Some hauled corn to the grain elevator during harvest. They brought food to the field to feed the men working late into the night.

Our mothers took us to Sunday School and watched us play Little League Ball. Our mothers told us we were special and provided support when we were down -- when we felt we had failed. They've lived and died the ups and downs of our lives.

Mothers cannot just walk out the door when their babies cry -- when their adolescents experience the heartaches of growing up -- when their young are caught in the unforgiving grip of drug addiction -- when their children have marriages that fail.

No matter how old their children get, their children are still their babies. For you see, mothers can never escape. They forever share the joys and feel the pain of their young.

We receive all of this lifelong dedication, commitment, and love, and there is "no charge."

Happy Mothers Day. I am John Block from Washington.