It's Mother's Day Again

What would life be without mothers? They'resending greeting cards and flowers, and later became
everything in our lives - as friends, mentors, critics,critical of many public figures that were associated
nurses, teachers... In the endless roles that motherswith the celebration of Mother's Day.
play so that we can feel safe, secure, and loved.Anna Jarvis died in 1948 with no children of her own
Do you know how Mother's Day began? It hasand was buried beside her beloved mother.
nothing to do with candies, roses or all that "stuff"Similarly, another woman by the name of Julia Ward
that we think of when we think of Mother's day.Howe who was also involved in the Civil War
You'll be surprised to know that it started with theinfluenced the celebration of Mother's Day. Ms. Howe
need for sanitation. Here's how it happened....was known best for being the author of the words
It all started way back in 1858 in a small town calledto the "Battle Hymn to the Republic".
Webster in West Virginia. There was a woman whoShe was so appalled by the carnage of the Civil War
lived there by the name of Anna Reeves Jarvis whoand the Franco-Prussian War that she tried to issue a
strived to improve sanitary conditions in the town bymanifesto for peace at an international conference. In
forming Mothers' Day Work Clubs. The Clubs raised1872, she began promoting the idea of a "Mother's
money to buy medicine and to hire help for mothersDay for Peace". A year later mothers from 18 cities
with TB (Tuberculosis), and inspected bottled milkacross America held a Mother's Day for Peace
and food.Gathering. Some cities like Boston even continued to
During the Civil War she extended the purpose ofcelebrate for many years, but the celebrations slowly
the Mothers' Day Work Club to continuing her workdied out once Howe was no longer paying for the
for improved sanitary conditions for both sides of thecosts.
conflict as well as actually treating the wounded. ThisIt's amazing to think that one woman - Anna Reeves
somehow led to the reconciliation of several familyJarvis - whose simple goal of improved sanitation was
members divided by the war, and she is creditedable to build such a powerful bridge that she
with saving thousands of lives because of hercontinues to connect people with different beliefs
teachings about sanitation.even today.
The daughter of that woman, Anna Jarvis, swore atModernly, Mother's Day is celebrated in many
her mother's grave in 1905 to dedicate her life to hercountries around the world including Denmark, Finland,
mother's project and to work for the establishmentItaly, Turkey, Australia, Philippines, and Belgium. In
of Mother's Day. True to her word, she quit her jobfact more than 40 countries officially celebrate a
and dedicated herself full-time to campaigning for thisMother's Day.
special occasion we now observe.No matter who we are, how we grew up, or where
On May 10th, in 1907, the church of Grafton, Westwe live, looking back at that time in our lives when
Virginia became the shrine of the first unofficialwe were still fragile, naive and curious, for most of
Mother's Day.us it was - and continues to be - our mother who
Her hard work finally paid off in 1914 as Presidentsafely guided us on our journey of life.
Woodrow signed the resolution that officiallyOur deepest secrets, hurts, fears, and aspirations are
established Mother's Day in the United States.all still kept in her locket of memories, and in ours.
Ironically - in light of modern celebrations of Mother'sShe nurtured our pain as hers; sometimes sacrificing
Day - as the years passed by Ms. Jarvis becamethe things she would have like to have bought for
disappointed with the increasing commercialization ofherself just to be able to buy us our latest whim.
the holiday. She even frowned on the practice of