Political Mother's Day

“Mother’s Day is a celebration honoring the mother of the family, as well as motherhood, maternal bonds, and the influence of mother’s in society”.  

(Wikipedia)

Many years ago I had the opportunity to be a part of a work group that came up with activities to promote a better work environment. There were many suggestions on the table including my idea to celebrate Mother’s Day and Father’s Day.  I didn’t realize at the time it would turn in to a political debate.

Mother’s Day was the one activity I thought everyone could rally around. Apparently, Mother’s Day is offensive because it left out those who are not mothers, such as, fathers who single parent, those who do acts of kindness for children and women who are barren. Mother’s Day was acceptable as long as you did not call it “Mother’s Day”, but “Honoring Strong Women”.  I, of course, objected to this because honoring strong women has nothing to do with Mother’s Day.

The modern holiday of Mother’s Day was first celebrated in 1908 when Anna Jarvis held a memorial for her mother at St. Andrews Methodist Church in Grafton, West Virgin.  Her campaign to make Mother’s Day a recognized holiday in the United States began in 1905, the year her mother died.  Anna Jarvis wanted to honor her mother by continuing to work to set aside a day to honor all mothers, “the person who has done for you more than anyone else in the world”.

  In 1914, Woodrow Wilson signed a proclamation designating Mother’s Day to be held on the Second Sunday in May, as a national holiday to honor mothers.  Anna Jarvis became resentful of the commercialization of the holiday and said we should honor our mother’s through handwritten letters expressing our love and gratitude, not buying gifts or personal cards”. Wikipedia

My objection to the name change caused a heated debate of which I was not backing down.  As I suspected, referring to Honoring Strong Women had other implications, such as anyone who identified themself as a woman or anything else under the political umbrella.  The truth finally raised its ugly head.  This is utter nonsense and foolishness.  I don’t know if they ever got it right and as far as I am concerned it is between those individuals and the Most High YAH.  Some group members felt it was better for me to go along just to get along.  This has never been my perspective. Eventually, I left the group or was I kicked out, hmmm?  Whatever!

I want to wish every mother a Happy Mother’s Day and may YAH fill your heart with all the blessings and happiness it can hold. To the mothers who do not have children like me, you possess the ability to love and nurture any child. And to the mothers who are barren, you possess the ability to hear every child’s cry, give till your pockets are empty and love a child beyond your own understanding.  YAH has given us all a special gift called Motherhood.

Shalom