Mother’s Day. How did this holiday begin? To be honest, this isn’t a question we typically ask ourselves BUT we decided to do a little research anyway and VIOLA! After 5-10 minutes of googling, we found the origins to be anchored in spreading community, volunteerism & charity.
Ana Reeves Jarvis came up with the concept of Mother’s Day in the 19th century intending the holiday to serve as a day to help other women care for their own children - sort of like a “Mom’s Club”. As time went on, the clubs became more focused on reconciliation after the Civil War and then moved on to promoting world peace.
Mother’s Day has also been used to launch political & feminist causes. In 1968, Martin Luther King, Jr. and Coretta Scott King, used the holiday to host a march in support of underprivileged women & children. In the 70s, women’s groups used the holiday to highlight the need for equal rights and access to childcare.
So now we know the foundations of this cherished holiday. However, what does that mean for us celebrating the holiday in 2021? Well, for starters, we really like the original concept of the holiday - promoting equality, equity, peace, support & reconciliation. When you think about it, aren’t these characteristics similar to what makes up the idea of “mom”? For example, even on a day supposedly dedicated to her, she’s out giving & supporting everyone else’s causes, dreams, agendas!
Mom’s support their families with an unmatched level of sacrifice, bringing peace and resolve to most situations. Case in point...mom’s are the ONE person EVERYONE travels back to. Whether they live across the state, country or world, everyone takes the pilgrimage back home to see her.
She offers a sense of reunification with others in our family, whether it’s coming together around the table for mom’s cooking even with that sibling you struggle to get along with or mom convincing you to partake in the family photo shoot when you hate taking pictures. She’s the center (or the sun) that the family rotates around.
The values & personality of a “mother” most definitely range depending on her culture, background, etc... but overall, a mother is: a caregiver, a friend (your first friend), and gives unconditional love).
Maybe you feel without a mother this Mother’s Day. Perhaps she has passed on or you never were able to know her. If this is you, think to yourself...who in my life encapsulates similar qualities? Who brings me this sense of peace, love & reconciliation. Is it an aunt, an older sister, a foster parent, a grandparent, a neighbor?
This Mother’s Day, let’s celebrate the special God given qualities that ONE person brings into our lives. Mother’s (and those that have served as our mother) remind us that we’re worthy of love, have purpose & value. Let’s thank them for that this weekend!
References:
History.com editors. (2011, April 19). History of Mother’s Day 2021. Mother’s Day 2021. https://www.history.com/topics/holidays/mothers-day