A Mother’s Day Message

Mother’s Day.  To some, it brings a bright smile to their face.  To others, it brings tears running down their face.  Mother’s Day.  A holiday that began in the early 1900’s by a woman named Anna Jarvis.  She campaigned to make Mother’s Day a recognized holiday in 1905, the year her mother, Ann Reeves Jarvis, died. 

Ann Jarvis had been a peace activist who cared for wounded soldiers on both sides of the American Civil War.  She wanted to honor her mother by continuing the work she started and to set aside a day to honor all mothers because she believed a mother is “the person who has done more for you than anyone in the world.”  

Although Jarvis successful in founding Mother’s Day, she became resentful of the commercialization of the holiday.  Jarvis believed that companies like Hallmark cards had misinterpreted and exploited the idea of Mother’s Day and that the emphasis of the holiday was on sentiment, not profit.  She argued that people should appreciate and honor their mothers through handwritten letters expressing their love and gratitude, instead of buying gifts and pre-made cards.

Now fast forward to 2019.  Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 12^th.  What will I do for my mother?  I will do for her what she’s always done for me.  I will express my love verbally.  I will show my love physically, by bestowing hugs and kisses upon her.  And I will honor her with my love by taking her out for her favorite meal and watch her face light up as she reads her cards aloud, and then hand her a beautifully wrapped gift with her favorite designer purse!  And she will shed a few tears and exclaim that “you didn’t have to do all of this.  You need this money for your rent.”  And then she’ll gaze at the purse and say, “but I’m glad that you did.”  Mother’s Day.  I wouldn’t have it any other way. Because in the words of Anna Jarvis, “she’s the person who has done more for me than anyone in the world.”