Celebrating Mother's Day
On Mother’s Day, I always look forward to hugs from my boys and the surprise of their handmade cards or pictures. Reading their thoughtful messages and poems illustrated with fun pencil drawings warms my heart. The happy day reminds me just how blessed I am to be their mom.
While working mothers are enjoying a lot more time with their children during these stay-at-home months, they are often under more time-pressure to manage home-schooling alongside the demands of work. Hopefully, this Mother’s Day, working mothers can take some time for their wellness. They deserve it!
Mother’s Day is recognized in over 40 countries around the world today, with some variation to the date. The origins of the day has a colorful history and evolution across cultures, yet it is linked by a common ground of celebrating mothers and being with family.
In the United States, the Mother’s Day traces back to Anna Jarvis, a social activist who spent her lifetime honoring her mother, Ann Jarvis who died in 1905. During the American civil war, Ann Jarvis was involved in Mothers’ Day Work Clubs where a community of local mothers promoted cleanliness and sanitation. It was not until 9 May 1914 that US President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed the first Mother's Day, marking the day as “a public expression of love and reverence for the mothers of our country.”
That is the modern-day version. Mothers were honored by the ancient Greeks and Romans who held festivals to honor goddesses Rhea and Cybele. During the Middle Ages, a custom was followed when those who had moved away visited their home parishes and their mothers on Laetare Sunday, the fourth Sunday of Lent. Read more about the origins of Mother’s Day.
Happy Mother’s Day!
Photo: By Africa Studio | Shutterstock.
Sources: americaslibrary.gov. Time Magazine. Here's How 9 Other Countries Celebrate Mother's Day. 11 May 2014. History Channel. 12 March 2020. Brittanica. Mother’s Day.