On Sunday, May 9 of this year, we celebrate Mother’s Day. This holiday had its beginnings in 1908 when it was created by Anna Jarvis. It was declared an official American holiday in 1914. Ms. Jarvis’ initial motivation was to honor the sacrifices that mothers made for their children. She, herself, never married nor had children. She fought hard for this holiday to be added to our American calendar since she felt that most holidays were geared to honoring the achievements of men. When she saw how commercialized Mother’s Day became with its emphasis on pricey gifts, however, she was appalled. Ms. Jarvis spent the later years of her life attempting to remove from the calendar the very holiday she created!
Gifts remain an important aspect of this day, usually in the form of flowers, candy, jewelry, and special cards. More phone calls are made on Mother’s Day than on any other day of the year!
Having these special days of Mother’s Day and Father’s Day provide us with the opportunity to pause, think, and honor those closest to us who give so much each and every day! Mothers (and fathers too) nurture, motivate, support, and most importantly, love their children. Parents are their children’s first and most important teachers and role models.
Please take time to express your feelings to your mother on this day. A homemade card can be more precious and memorable than a pricey one you buy. A scrapbook of written memories through the years which highlight important family times might be the perfect gift. A mother appreciates and values the time, thought, and effort a child puts into making a gift of love. Let’s go back to the original purpose of this holiday and honor Anna Jarvis’ intent. Time spent happily together, with expressions of love, admiration, and gratitude, is the best gift of all.
Happy Mother’s Day to my mother, whose memory I cherish every day.
All Blogs are written by Professionals in the fields of Nutrition, Human Development and Diabetes.