Hello, and welcome to the excerpt. Yesterday was Mother's Day, so today on forum, we're sharing what our readers wanted to share about their moms.

I'm Michael McArthur. I lead the opinion sections of Gannett, the parent company of USA Today.

This is a special bonus episode of the excerpt, highlighting a series from USA Today's opinion

team called Forum.

Here's what you told us.

My favorite Mother's Day tradition is probably the ones that I've started with my children

and my mom now. Instead of us

getting like a hanging plant or just buying something, my daughter really likes to make certain things.

So just the other day, we painted her a canvas of mountains. So I try to incorporate things that

are handmade because I know my mom is really sentimental,

and I am too.

That's Ariel Mitch, a 35-year-old who lives in Lowell, Indiana.

Even when it's hard work, she's grateful for the relationship she has with her mom.

I would just like to tell my mom that I appreciate her, that I acknowledge all the things that as mothers we do that go unnoticed.

But being a mom now, I see it.

I totally see it.

And I thank her for everything she did for me.

I think it's important to honor moms because we do so much. And most of the time, we're putting ourselves last. And I don't think we realize what kind of toll that takes on us until later. I mean, mothers are everything. It's how we become who we are. You know, so I just, I know how much of an effect, everything I say and do is affecting my kids.

And I want to be a good role model for them just the way my mom was.

I'm just so grateful and thankful for my mom and the relationship that we have.

You know, we worked hard to get it.

It's not something that came easy all the time,

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