It's Mother's Day, and no self-respecting journalist would miss the golden-opportunity to publicly acknowledge what a great mom he actually has.

Being one such opportunist, I'd like to wish not only my mother, but every mother reading this a Happy Mother's Day. (You can't kiss up too much when it comes to all of those moms out there.)

With that said, however, it's time to tackle a serious subject - why do mothers have so much power over each of us, even as we grow into adults?

Think about it for a minute. My father still tries to make his mom happy all of the time, just the same way I try to please my mom. Even professional athletes take time to wave to the camera and say "Hi Mom" after scoring a touchdown. It's never "Hi Dad," or "Hi Wife!"

Personally, I can only think of one reason there is such a deep bond between kids and their moms - secrets.

The secrets I share with my mom go back as long as I can remember, and they usually involve something fun.

For instance, one of the greatest memories my mom and I share was when she would come and get me out of grade school during a mild autumn afternoon. She would explain that there was some sort of doctor's appointment she had forgotten about, but her smile toward me indicated otherwise.

Instead of going to the doctor, we would go pick up lunch at McDonald's and head to the nearest park. There, we would pile leaves up as high as possible in front of a sliding board and slide down a gazillion times.

Somehow she always knew just when to leave so that we would beat dad home and she could prepare dinner just in time. Call it a mother's intuition, I guess.

Other secrets include making chocolate chip cookies on a rainy day to chase the clouds away or coloring cards and letters to her parents (my grandparents) to make time fly by.

Even as we both age together, there are secrets.

Dreams of becoming famous or doing something wonderful to change the world have been overtaken by dreams of becoming a better father each day. Each of those secrets was shared with my mom, who fully supports each decision I make as an adult.

The intriguing thing now, however, is to see the ability to share secrets extending to my children.

Tiny smirks, little chuckles and soft giggles responding to my directives let me know that my mom has been working with the kids again. She teaches them to love life and enjoy the minutes of the day, which is something a journalist in his 30s with too many things on his mind can't adequately do.

The passion to have fun and act silly is a gift. My mom has those traits, although they only come through when the time is right.

I see images of my mom every day, whether it's the way my daughter smiles at me or my son enunciates certain words. She is there when my son says the blessing for a meal or my daughter rolls down a hill in her purple racecar.

I am blessed in the fact that my mom is still very much alive and present in my daily life. I am even more blessed knowing that she will always be alive through my kids and their love for life they inherited from her. Thanks, mom. I love you.