Each and every mother deserves to be cherished

Today’s celebrations often differ from the day’s original intention

- Design Pics photo

By STEPHANIE RAHA
The Christophers

Sunday, May 11 is one of the most powerful days of celebration on the calendar because it honours the first person you ever met - your mom. You'll probably pay tribute to her, her mother and other mothers in your life on the second Sunday in May.

In one form or another, Mother's Day is celebrated in dozens of countries around the world and has a long history. Even the ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans had holidays to honour certain mother goddesses. Much later, in 16th-century England, the fourth Sunday of Lent became Mothering Day, which, in turn, became an opportunity for separated family members to gather with Mom as the guest of honour.

Two women are most closely associated with the celebration of Mother's Day as we know it: Julia Ward Howe and Anna Jarvis.

Valiant activist

The first is famous for writing the Battle Hymn of the Republic which became an anthem for the North during the Civil War. She also campaigned against slavery and for the rights of women, promoting a Mothers' Peace Day, and eventually Mother's Day itself.

Somewhat later, Anna Jarvis dreamed of establishing a Mother's Day, first and foremost to honour her own mother, Ann Marie Reeves Jarvis.

One day, her mother ended a Sunday school lesson on Mothers of the Bible, by saying, "I hope that someone, sometime will found a memorial mothers day commemorating her for the matchless service she renders to humanity in every field of life. She is entitled to it."

After her mother's death, Anna Jarvis worked to see that her mother - and all mothers - got that special commemoration.

Carnations for mother

In 1908, Jarvis' own church in Grafton, W.Va., and another in Philadelphia proclaimed a special Mother's Day on the second Sunday in May. Carnations were presented to each mother who was present.

Within a few years, a number of states had made the day official and in 1914 President Woodrow Wilson declared the first national Mother's Day.

Yet ironically, within just a few years, Jarvis, who never married or had children, became disillusioned with the commercialization she saw growing attached to the holiday she had worked so hard to spread.

"A printed card means nothing except that you are too lazy to write to the woman who has done more for you than anyone in the world," she said. "And candy! You take a box to Mother - and then eat most of it yourself. A pretty sentiment!"

Without a doubt cards and candy are still prominent features of Mother's Day today, as are flowers and a special visit with Mom to her favourite restaurant. And those adult kids who can't make it back home see to it that there are more long distance calls on Mother's Day than any other day of the year.

Still, for all the extraneous trappings and overt sentimentality associated with the day, the essence is worthwhile: Mother's Day is a time to express love and gratitude to the most special lady in the world - Mom.

Maybe it would be a good idea if moms and dads, children and grandchildren - indeed, the whole family - used the day as a centrepiece of their mutual affection and respect 365 days a year.

(Stephanie Raha is editor in chief of The Christophers.)

(For a free copy of the Christopher News Note, Standing Up For Standards, write: The Christophers, 5 Hanover Square, New York, NY 10004; or e-mail: mail@christophers.org.)

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