“So, Mrs. Klope — what did you do before you came to the high school?”

It was a good question, born out of curiosity and a budding new friendship, rather than a classroom discussion about women’s roles in American society.

It was asked during a lunch period while a student and I talked about prom dresses and snacked on microwave popcorn.

I have worn a number of hats in my lifetime and for a moment I wrestled with the question. How much did I want to reveal about myself? What role did I value most? What would my response reveal my values and perhaps even the condition of my heart?

Suddenly the answer came to me and is one I would never have chosen to define my identity when I was in my 20s or even my 30s. Neither could I have imagined that it would provide me with the infinite joy and call upon my innermost energies — day in and day out.

That is because I never dreamed I would say that the role I value most in my life is motherhood; that I find being a mother to Megan, Katie and Daniel more intellectually and spiritually challenging than any other. It stands out among the many activities with which I have involved myself over the years and undergirds all areas of my life.

I did not think I would feel this way. I was not initially drawn to the idea of being a mother. In fact, my earliest dreams never included children.

That is because my daddy built me a backyard playhouse that served as a kid magnet. The neighborhood children enjoyed coming over to play and I am certain their mothers thrilled at the moments their respective tribes raced to my playhouse. It gave them a few moments of glorious quiet.

When it came time for my friends to go home their departure usually came with no warning. They would hear their names being hollered from across the street and invariably leave me with the task of cleaning up.

I would cry, “Don’t leave me with this mess!” but my words fell on deaf ears.

It seemed to me that motherhood amounted to endless picking up and cleaning. Early on I decided there were better things to do.

That narrow outlook on motherhood stayed with me for years. When asked during high school what I wanted to do as an adult, I spoke of earning a college degree and diving into a full-time career.

Staying at home seemed mundane and stifling. I assumed I would parent at some point, but I never formulated when the parenting era might begin or how many children I was interested in having.

As if to punctuate my point, I chose the role of the classic overachiever and juggled a large number of activities — all based on the fact that they looked like fun things to do, I enjoyed being the organizer, and I liked the kids who were involved.

I danced all during my childhood, played the piano in competitions and in church, and embraced youth group activities at church with a passion. I helped to produce many a school yearbook, wrote more minutes and organized more school-wide activities through the Associated Student Body than I can count.

I studied with intensity and kept my sights pointed toward college because being a parent seemed to be something anyone could do and I wanted to be somebody. I had a deep-down need to stand out.

Then I met a young pastor who happily gave up a promising career as a biophysicist to become a Christian pastor. He explained to me that worthiness comes not from what you do or accomplish, but by accepting the forgiveness, eternal life and love God offers each one of us through a relationship with Himself and His Son.

That growing awareness changed my outlook on life to my very core. It profoundly reordered my thinking and my striving took on new meaning. I wanted to experience all that life had to offer me and I longed to live in tandem with God. I wanted to experience His presence and wrap myself in His values. I wanted to live fully and deeply, to marry and bear children and carve a life filled with loving, learning and sacrificing.

And so it is that I declared to the student, dreaming of her prom night and sharing a bag of popcorn with me, that Life had afforded me many opportunities over the years, but the role I value most is being a mother. As we honor all mothers this weekend, I will praise God that He provides enough challenge and joy to offset the worry and exhaustion of parenting three kids. I will thank my husband for the pleasure of parenting alongside him and hug my fearsome threesome who have given me my smile lines and the gray hair I meticulously wash away every six weeks.

I will thank God for the blessing and the opportunity.

Freelance writer Joan Bay Klope’s e-mail address is jbklope@hotmail.com.