Being Mother: The Story of Muriel Sederis Hughes and the Children She Chose to Love

There are mothers in the world who give birth.
And there are mothers in the world who are born the day they choose to love.

Muriel Sederis Hughes was one of those mothers.

She was not wealthy, not even famous.
She did not have a perfect life to show to anyone.
But she had something many people forget to value:
a heart that could hold the whole world inside it.

A Hard Beginning

Muriel grew up seeing struggle closely.
Life did not open doors for her.
There were no easy days, no shortcuts, and no family support strong enough to hold her when she broke down.

But she learned one thing early in life:
People are not shaped by what they have. They are shaped by what they give.

She once said:

“I never had enough to keep for myself, but I always had enough to share with someone who needed it.”

The First Child

She was 24 when she met the first child she would one day call her own.

A little boy, barely five, is standing outside a grocery shop.
His clothes were torn, and hands were cold.
His eyes were tired in a way no child’s eyes should be.

She asked him, “Where is your mother?”

He said, “I don’t know.”

She didn’t ask anything else.

She took his hand, bought him warm food and took him home.

That night changed her life forever.

The Choice to Become a Mother

Muriel did not plan to adopt children.
She did not plan to become a symbol of unconditional love.
It happened one child at a time.

A little girl abandoned at a hospital.
A child from a refugee shelter.
A newborn left near a bus stop.
A teenager with no family left after a war.
A child who had lost his mother to illness.
A girl whose family left her because she could not speak or hear.

Different faces, backgrounds.
Different religions, languages.

But Muriel did not see any of that.

She only saw a child who needed a mother.

What It Means to Be a Mother

People asked her many times:

“Why are you doing this?”
“You are not their real mother.”
“Life is already hard. Why make it harder?”

Muriel always answered with the same calm voice:

“Motherhood is not about blood. It is about love.”

She worked long days.
She cooked for ten, sometimes fifteen children, and washed clothes by hand.
Her journey always cared for them when they were sick and helped them study, and sometimes stayed up every night until all of them were asleep.

There was no break.
No salary.
No applause.

But she smiled anyway.
Because love was her reward.

The Children Grew

Each child who came into her home grew in a different way.

Some became teachers, nurses, and some became volunteers helping other children.
And some simply lived quietly, grateful to have known love even once.

But all of them, every single one of them,
called her Mother.

The Book: Being Mother

One evening, one of her eldest daughters said:

“Mother, you should tell your story. The world needs to know love like yours still exists.”

Muriel shook her head gently.

“What is special in my story?” she asked.

Her daughter smiled with tears in her eyes.

“You loved us when no one else would. That is special enough.”

And so began the journey of her book.

Muriel shared her memories slowly.
Not as grand speeches.
Not as big lessons.
Just moments — small and real.

The first day a child said “Mama” to her.
The nights when she worried if she had enough food.
The laughter when all the children danced in the rain.
The quiet pride when one of them graduated from school.

The book was named Being Mother, because
motherhood was not something she became —
it was something she lived every day.

Why Her Story Matters

In a world where people sometimes forget to care,
Muriel reminds us that kindness is still a powerful language.

In a time when we worry about what we don’t have,
Muriel teaches us to value what we can give.

And at a time when the world is divided by religion, class, and race,
Muriel shows that love does not need permission to exist.

A Message for You, the Reader

Maybe you are struggling and feeling alone.
Maybe you feel your life has no purpose.

But maybe, just maybe, your purpose is waiting for you to choose it.

Not in big ways.
Not in perfect plans.
But in kindness — given to one human being at a time.

If Muriel could change the lives of so many children with almost nothing,
imagine what you could do
with the heart you carry today.

Call to Action

If you have a story that deserves to be written,
a journey that may inspire someone else,
or a voice the world needs to hear —

We are here to help.

Book Writing Venture helps people like Muriel turn their stories into published books.

Your story matters.
Let’s write it together.

Start your journey today.