Sometimes motherhood is seen as a curse given to women, but Mother Teresa understood that it is a gift from God.
This extends to all types of motherhood as well, not simply the physical kind, as all women are called to be mothers.
Mother Teresa wrote a special letter in 1995 to the United Nations when it held its Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing. The full letter can be found on SpiritualDirection.com.
She wrote about how men and women offer different images of God's love.
This is an important point to make, as men and women are different, both having their own special gifts from God. It is not a competition, as together men and women can show God's love to the world in a unique way.
In particular, Mother Teresa pointed out motherhood as a special gift from God.
Mother Teresa believed that motherhood was not a curse, but a gift, a special way to image God's love in the world.
Men were not given this gift. It is a unique gift to women, regardless of if they become a mother in the natural order, or express their motherhood in a more spiritual way.
Motherhood is a gift of God and should be cultivated and appreciated as such.