“A MOTHER'S SIXTH SENSE”

by Opal Elaine Moyer

     I have never been a mystic, of any sort; I have never believed in things, like telepathy or ESP. I have always believed, however, that mothers possess a sixth sense. This is the wisdom, a knowing, that all true mothers possess. Not necessarily an inborn ability, it may an acquired one, developed over time and experience. It may actually begin while the child is still in the womb, as mother and child establish their bond to one another, though, adoptive mothers can possess the sixth sense, as well. Whatever the source or explanation, the sixth sense does exist. It is evident in all species in nature. I have seen it in my own mother, many times; once, her sixth sense even saved the lives of my brother and I.

     Now, as a mother, I have relied on my own sixth sense to guide me. It can be as simple as reading the expressions on my daughter's faces, knowing when something is wrong or right with them. This is, of course, the everyday context of a mother's sixth sense. When needed the most, it's scope can be extraordinary. The sixth sense is present in any mother, who takes the time to get to know her children well.

     As important as sight and sound, the sixth sense is used by all mothers to some extent. When her child is downhearted, mother knows. If her child is happy, mother knows this, too. Even when her child is in mortal danger, though it may not be immediately evident at the time, a mother can even feel this -- thanks to her sixth sense. A mother may appear to be an ordinary person, at first sight. When you look, closer, more can be seen: the extraordinary. The mother's sixth sense may not appear magical or mystical. It is, however, derived from a mothers love and, though there's no mystery in that, is not love a magical thing?