Happy Mother's Day!

At the close of this weekend I have been reflecting on all the mothers in my life and the importance of my own. As I spent this celebratory day with D's mother and grandmother, I am reminded of the special place that mothers hold in our hearts.  This one title, whether it be Mom, Mommy, Mama, or Ma seems to encompass so many different roles. For me, my own Mom is my confidant, my support, my friend, my strength, and most importantly the voice of reason for me when things seem to get so out of control. Yes, we have had our fair share of ups and downs (what Mother and Daughter hasn't), but in the end she is the one that I turn to when I really need to know who I am and who I am supposed to be.

After all these reflections on my mom and my relationship with her I was left wondering how this special day came to be? It turns out that this day for honoring our mothers originated with a West Virginian named Anna Jarvis (it seems West Virginia pops up everywhere I look). Ms. Jarvis, in 1908, wanted to accomplish her mother's dream of making a celebration for all mothers. Unfortunately this idea didn't take off until several years later when President Woodrow Wilson made it an official national holiday in 1914. The story goes that Anna Jarvis later became disgusted with the commericalism of her own creation, and was arrested several times for protesting against the commercialization of Mother's Day.  She finally said that she "wished she would have never started the day because it became so out of control ...". Regardless of the commericialism and discontent that Anna Jarvis felt over her creation, this day still gives us all the opportunity to tell our Moms how much they mean to us and how much we appreciate them.

I wish with all my heart that I was nearer to mother not just today, but everyday. So, Happy Mother's Day to all the Mothers out there and a very special Happy Mother's Day to my own Mom... Love you!

SMH