Mothers should be in our thoughts and prayers each day, but it’s always wonderful to have one special day as a reminder to make our mothers feel loved, cherished and respected.
Tasneem Hossain | Bangladesh
‘God could not be everywhere, and therefore he made mothers’- Rudyard Kipling
God is the creator of everything. He gives life to animals and human beings.
He sends humans in the womb of a woman and she procreates. The moment the child comes in the mother’s womb she undergoes countless hardships and ensures the safety and nourishment of the baby. We learn to communicate first with our mothers and then with everything around us. She makes us capable to cope with the harsh realities of life; selflessly sacrifices her ambitions and desires to bring us up into adulthood and takes care till she breathes her last. The invisible cord that connects us all with our mothers affects our lives in a unique way.
‘When you are looking at your mother, you are looking at the purest love you will ever know.’ -Charley Benetto
A mother is an epitome of love, generosity and sacrifice who endures all the tribulations in life to rear up her children. Yet, these sacrifices are seldom acknowledged in this male-dominated society. Mother’s Day is a special occasion to celebrate their remarkable strength and selflessness and honor their efforts.
Mother’s Day is celebrated across more than 50 countries of the world to celebrate the essence of motherhood, acknowledge her love and dedication towards her family and society. It’s a day which reminds people the significance of the everlasting bond of love and affection between a mother and a child. It helps us realize the effort that goes into giving birth and rearing a new life. This is a special day for children also as it gives them an opportunity to relish the beautiful bond that they mutually share with their mothers. The day is meant to make mothers feel special and loved.
While, many countries may have different dates for the celebration the common date is on the second Sunday of May every year.
Honoring mothers and motherhood can be traced back to the ancient Greeks and Romans who held colorful festivals to honor their mother goddesses Rhea and Cybele.
However, Ms. Anna Jervis and a few others have been instrumental in establishing Mother’s Day and popularizing it in the world.
In 1870, the abolitionist and suffragette Julia Ward Howe wrote the ‘Mother’s Day Proclamation,’ which called all the mothers to unite in promoting world peace and campaigned for a “Mother’s Peace Day” to be celebrated every June 2.
Juliet Calhoun Blakely, a temperance activist is another Mother’s Day pioneer who inspired a local Mother’s Day in Albion, Michigan, in the 1870s.
The other trailblazers are Mary Towles Sasseen and Frank Hering. Both worked to organise a Mothers’ Day in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Hering is called by some ‘the father of Mothers’ Day.’
In practicality, Mother’s Day in America became recognized due to the relentless efforts of a peace activist Anna Jarvis. Following her mother’s death in 1905, she organized a memorial in honor of her mother in 1908 in St. Andrews Methodist Church in Grafton, West Virginia. She was the first to make an effort to raise funds for the celebration of Mother’s Day in the US and took steps to make the celebration a worldwide event. It was a celebration to honor the sacrifices of all the mothers for their children and their contributions to our society. In 1911, almost all the US states began celebrating the day. In 1912, Anna Jarvis used the phrase ‘Second Sunday in May, Mother’s Day, Anna Jarvis, Founder,’ and created the Mother’s Day International Association to help promote her cause. By 1912 many states, towns and churches had adopted Mother’s Day.
Her persistence paid off in 1914 when American President Woodrow Wilson signed a proclamation on May 9, 1914 that the second Sunday in May will be fixed as ‘Mother’s Day’ and the day was declared a national holiday. As time passed, other countries like Australia and Canada also started observing this day.
Anna specifically mentioned that ‘Mother’s’ should be a singular possessive, for each family to honor their own mother, not a plural possessive observing all the mothers of the world.
Mothering Sunday, a major tradition in the United Kingdom and parts of Europe, honoring mother churches was celebrated from the Middle-Ages in the United Kingdom, Ireland and some Commonwealth countries. Over time this tradition eventually lost its popularity and merged with the American Mother’s Day.
Gradually, more countries began to adopt the date to celebrate mothers. Today, more than 50 countries in the world celebrate Mother’s Day as a mark of respect and honor to the woman who gives life to us. Though, traditions vary depending on the country all focus on demonstrating love and appreciation for mothers.
Most countries around the world celebrate Mother’s Day including most of Europe, Asia, Australia, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Japan and New Zealand on the second Monday of May. Some Arab countries like Egypt, Iraq and Saudi Arabia celebrate Mother’s Day on March 21 (spring equinox). Some countries like United Kingdom and Ireland celebrate the Day on the fourth Sunday during Lent and call it Mothering Sunday. Russia and many eastern and southern continental countries celebrate Mother’s Day together with International Women’s Day on March 8th.
Following the tradition of celebrating the Mother’s Day on the second Sunday of May, it will be celebrated in Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and many other countries on 10 May in 2026.
On this day, different organizations supporting the cause of mothers organize large gatherings highlighting the contributions of mothers.
As a mark of respect and recognition of their contributions, mothers are showered with gift cards, flowers, clothes and accessories, chocolates, handmade items, gift vouchers etc. Some give special treats to their mothers and help them to have a leisurely work free day.
Mothers, undoubtedly, play a key role in helping us to become the person we are. They love and comfort us; encourage us and provide for us whatever we need. They teach us to be strong, kind, caring, and compassionate; to support others around us. They give birth and rear us out of pure love and affection. They deserve the same from us as we grow older. It’s crucial for the progress and preservation of human society.
Mothers ceaselessly perform their responsibilities. They ensure our well-being at all times. In response, as we grow up, we need to be more empathetic and grateful in our actions towards them and thank them sincerely for their sacrifices.
Mothers should be in our thoughts and prayers each day, but it’s always wonderful to have one special day as a reminder to make our mothers feel loved, cherished and respected.
We can try to reduce her daily responsibilities, chores and mental pressure; let her know that we recognize the emotional and physical efforts that she has undergone for us; and try to help her focus on self-care.
After what mothers do for us, don’t they need a little more recognition? From today, let’s make our mothers know how much we love her. Thank her for the countless hardships and burdens she undertakes for us.
Let’s shower her with love and respect each day. Spend as much time as we can with her, especially on Mother’s Day. There’s nothing she would like more.
Today she is with us, tomorrow maybe different.
Do not shed tears when I am gone.
Give me a moment now, before my curtain is drawn.
Have you ever told her that you love her?
Go kiss her, hug her tight and say it loud!
‘I love you Ma.’
Reference:
Mother’s Day 2022, May 3, 2022, History
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Tasneem Hossain is a multilingual poet, columnist, op-ed and fiction writer, educator, translator, and training consultant. She writes poems in English, Urdu, and Bengali. As an op-ed writer, she has authored over 130 articles. Her articles deal with day to day life events and deals with personal development issues; and creates awareness about social and human rights issues. Several of her articles and poems are utilized as teaching material in universities and academies across various countries; some have been referenced in university research papers by academics. She is author of three poetry collections—Grass in Green, The Pearl Necklace, and Floating Feather and a book of articles ‘Split and Splice’, she also leads an international poetry project and group called Life in Lyrics. Additionally, four more books are currently in progress
