According to a survey by the British Council among English speakers, about forty thousand people agree, the most beautiful English word is “mother”. Today is mother’s day; the day where we honour the influential women in our lives.
The idea of honouring mothers is certainly not a new one. Since the time of the Greeks, women were celebrated with the festival of Rhea, the mother of the Gods. The Romans too, had a mother of all Gods, Magna Mater, and every March, people would bring gifts to her temple to appease her. The modern idea of mothers day, however, (flowers, family time and gifts), more closely resembles that of “Mothering Sunday” which originated in Europe in the 16th century. Mothering Sunday was observed on the fourth Sunday of Lent. Affluent people returned to their “mother” church bearing presents (often flowers), as offerings to their mothers. For the poorer, the day served as an opportunity to meet. Many servants lived far away from their families and on Mothering Sunday, were given time to go home. Often, it was one of the only days a year that the entire family could spend time together. As time passed, this day largely faded into oblivion, with the traditions being absorbed into today’s secular celebration of mother’s day.
However, not many of us may know that the worldwide celebration of Mother’s day that we have today is in large part, a tip of the hat to one woman in particular, Mrs. Ann Jarvis. Jarvis lived in West Virginia in the 1850’s and was responsible for organizing several “Mother’s Day work clubs”, and through these clubs, she worked to combat the poor sanitation that contributed to the high child mortality rate. They nursed the sick, and provided medicine to the poor, and proper treatment to those with infectious diseases. During the Civil war, Mrs. Jarvis rallied four of her clubs to pledge to treat injured men from both sides of the war. After the war, she attempted to reunite families whose familiar bonds had been threated by polarized views during the war. In keeping with this goal, she organized a “Mother’s Friendship Day”, explaining that if friends and family were to be reconnected, it would be accomplished most easily by appealing to the love and respect everyone had for their mother. The event was well planned and executed, and reportedly ended with numerous in tearful embrace of each other. Following this success, several other “Mother’s friendship days” were held.
After Mrs. Jarvis passed, her Daughter Anna remembered something her mother had always said, “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.” It was then that Ann decided a day must be established in her mother’s memory, promising “The time and place is here and the someone is your daughter, and by the grace of God, you shall have that Mothers Day.” After writing tirelessly to ministers, business people and politicians, in 1914, President Woodrow Wilson made it official: Mother’s Day would be a national holiday held each year on the second Sunday in May.
Although Anna had been successful, she was distraught with how commercialized Mother’s day evolved to become. She remained steadfast that the day was about sentiment and not profit, and once admitted she regretted starting the holiday because of what it became.
In some way, I agree with Anna. Showing love and appreciation shouldn’t have to come at a cost. Most times it’s not about the amount of money something cost, but rather the amount of thought given to something. Maybe we should keep this in mind for out latest celebration.
