The Invisible Backbone: Honoring the Endless Work of Mothers

Image Edited with Canva AI

Hey Hive Fam!,I am dedicating this post specially to mothers and women in general.
Mothers are often called the heart of the home, but this powerful sculpture in Zaragoza, Spain, reminds us they're also the unseen backbone carrying the weight of the world.

Titled "La Mujer Que Nunca Hizo Nada", which translates to "The Woman Who Never Did Anything",this artwork by artist Jose Luis Fernandez captures the quiet force of a mother's daily grind.In the sculpture,a woman stands tall,holding her children's hands while buckets,brooms, washing machines and other household tools are stacked heavily on her back.It's a striking image of contradiction;she looks burdened yet strong,invisible yet essential.This piece isn't just art; it's a wake-up call to society about the unpaid labor that keeps families and communities running,often dismissed as "nothing."

Let's dive deeper into what this means for mothers and women in general.Care work,the cooking, cleaning,child-rearing and emotional support is relentless and physical.Imagine a typical day for many moms: waking up at dawn to prepare breakfast,packing school lunches,washing clothes, managing doctor's appointments and still finding time to comfort a crying child or listen to a partner's worries. In Nigeria, for instance, women like market traders in Warri balance selling goods all day with coming home to cook, bathe the kids and help with homework.Globally, studies show women spend up to three times more hours on unpaid domestic work than men.
Take my aunt in Lagos as an example, she raised four kids while running a small tailoring business. She sewed clothes late into the night after tucking everyone in, yet when asked about her day, she'd shrug and say, "I didn't do much." That's the trap: this work is so constant it blends into the background, but without it, everything falls apart.

History is full of such unsung heroes.Think of Harriet Tubman,who not only escaped slavery but guided others to freedom while nurturing her "family" on the Underground Railroad, her "mothering" extended beyond blood ties to protect and sustain a whole movement. Or closer to home, consider Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti,the Nigerian activist and mother who fought for women's rights in the 1940s while raising her own children,including the legendary Fela Kuti. She organized protests against colonial taxes, all while managing a household.These women didn't just "do nothing"; they built nations.
Even in modern times, during the COVID-19 pandemic, mothers worldwide juggled remote work, homeschooling and caregiving,often at the cost of their own health and careers.A friend of mine in Abuja shared how she quit her job to care for her elderly parents and young twins,her sacrifice kept the family afloat, but it went unnoticed in the bigger picture.

This sculpture challenges us to rethink how we value women's contributions.It's not just about chores; it's the emotional labor too,the worry over a sick child,the encouragement during tough times,the silent strength that holds everyone together.In many cultures,including ours, proverbs like "A mother's love is like no other" exist,but do we back that with real appreciation?Paid maternity leave,shared parenting and recognizing homemaking as real work could make a difference.
In the end, let's not wait for sculptures to remind us.Take a moment today to thank the mothers in your life,your own, your wife, your sister,for the "nothing" they do every day.It's the foundation of our world.What are your thoughts? Share a story about a remarkable woman in the comments below, and let's celebrate them together on Hive!

Thank you for reading my post, yours truly @zusi78, signing off.