Happy Mother’s Day to all the mothers around the globe. This day was set aside in America in 1915 as an official holiday to honor mothers and all we do for our families. The story of how Mother’s day began starts with a daughter named Anna Jarvis. “Anna’s mother had provided strength and support as the family made their home in West Virginia and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where her father served as a minister. As a girl, Anna helped her mother take care of her garden that was mostly filled with white carnations. When Mrs. Jarvis died on May 5, 1905, Anna was determined to honor her. She asked the minister at her West Virginia church to give a sermon in her mother’s memory. On the same Sunday, the minister at the Jarvis’ Pennsylvania church also honored Anna’s mother and all mothers with a special service. Anna Jarvis then began writing to congressmen asking them to set aside a day to honor all mothers. In 1910, the governor of West Virginia proclaimed the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day and soon every state celebrated it. It became an official holiday in 1915.” You can read more about Mother’s Day here
Reading this story made me think of what type of mother Mrs. Jarvis would have been in order for her daughter to relentlessly pursue a day to honor women in a time when women did not even have the right to vote. Certainly some of the characteristics that Mrs. Jarvis practiced would include love and patience-the most necessary ingredients, I think, for mothering. I will bet she stirred in some kindness and laughter into the mix as well as perseverance, fortitude, love of life and peppered it all with humility. I guess I imagine her to be quite saintly.
For single moms, exhibiting these characteristics with our children on a continuous basis can be quite a challenge. Oh, who am I kidding-exhibiting just one of these qualities can be too much for me on some days! The stress and pressure of being responsible for everything in the household, a job, and meeting the children’s needs in addition to our own can be overwhelming at times. But Mother’s Day is a time to set all that aside and relax.
Even if, like myself you don’t exhibit all the imagined characteristics Mrs. Jarvis had, go ahead and enjoy the day and your wonderful family anyway. Do something special for yourself. Let the kids make you breakfast in bed or enjoy that sweet little card they made for you. Put your feet up on the couch and declare that the dirty laundry will just have to stay dirty one more day.
Happy Mother’s day as well to all the single dad’s who are parenting their children alone and being both daddy and mommy!