DEAR EDITOR:

I feel family privilege. My mother chose to marry my father and was committed to raising our family with seven children. We were all blessed to have the same mother and father. My father worked for the same company for over 40 years so that we were always fed and clothed. My mother chose to put her teaching career on hold to care for the growing family. My mother chose to spend her life with someone that had values close to hers.

My parents found a means to give us a faith-based education to reinforce the learning of what is right and wrong. My wife chose me, as we had the same faith-based values to commit to each other before having our children. All my children are also privileged to have the same father and mother. The ideal is to have a mother and father with shared genes and chromosomes. That building block makes for a strong basis for society.

Society should not disregard traditional marriage between a man and a woman so easily. When that chain is broken, children are confused, and it opens the way to depression and anxiety.

I knew two mothers best. One was the mother that chose me. I had no choice in that matter. The other is my wife. We freely chose each other.

Most of us love our mother we did not choose. The true paradox is that it is sometimes easier to love your mother you didn’t choose than the wife you did. In respect for your mother that probably had to struggle with your imperfections, strive to love your spouse that you chose.

Remember to respect your mother that married with the goal to love you. Call her. Visit her. Show her you care. Many of us don’t have our mother anymore. Treasure the time you have left with her if yours is still living. If you have a father that lost his mother and his children’s mother is especially important to call him, visit him, show him you care.

DAVID SOKOL

Youngstown