Well it’s that time of the year once again, Mother’s Day. During this time we go out and buy cards, flowers and gifts of all sorts to show appreciation to our Mothers. I think Mother’s Day is a wonderful event honoring Mothers that have sacrificed so much for the love of their children and family. But has this eventful holiday become too commercialized? Has it lost all of its meaningful characteristics that led to the creation of this celebration in the first place?

Maybe this history lesson will shed some light on why we honor our mothers in the first place.

   In the United States, Julia Ward Howe was the first to suggest Mother’s Day as an  official celebration in 1872. She was an activist, writer and poet, but her claim to fame that got a lot of notoriety is a famous civil war song “Battle Hymn of the Republic”. Due to the damage the civil war created. Howe wanted to see an end come to the suffrage of mothers that lost sons in the war, and the hardship it put on families. She suggested Mother’s Day be annually celebrated on June 2 and should be dedicated to peace. In 1870 she wrote a compassionate appeal (That was written in Boston) to urge women to standup against war. In 1873 there were women's groups in 18 North American cities that observed this new Mothers holiday. Howe originally funded a lot of these celebrations, but most of them slowly died out when she stopped supporting it financially.  Despite the failure of this holiday her diligence will pay off in forming Mother’s Day, as we know it today. Howe’s perseverance inspired others to continue her legacy.  
   A West Virginia women's group led by Anna Reeves Jarvis started to celebrate a version of Howe’s holiday. Her purpose was to reunite friends, family and neighborhoods back together that were torn a part by the civil war. In some cases in the civil war with the Union and Confederate armies you would have brother fighting brother or father fighting his best friend. The civil war destroyed a lot of families and friendships, therefore the group held a Mother’s friendship Day to rectify the damage. After Anna Reeves Jarvis passing, her daughter Anna M. Jarvis campaigned to make Mother’s Day an official holiday in the remembrance of her mother and in honor of peace. “Her request was honored, and on May 10, 1908, the first official Mother's Day celebration took place at Andrew's Methodist Church in Grafton, West Virginia and a church in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The West Virginia event drew a congregation of 407 and Anna Jarvis arranged for white carnations, her Mother’s favorite flower, to adorn the patrons. Two carnations were given to every Mother in attendance”. “Today, white carnations are used to honor deceased Mothers, while pink or red carnations pay tribute to Mothers who are still alive”. In writing this article I have learned how much a mother cares about her children, and the sacrifices she makes not only for her children, but for other children and mothers as well. A mother’s love can really change a person's perspective and help them realize war is not the answer, nor anger, or hate either. A mother’s love is a mother’s love and that’s the answer to any situation or problem you will have in life. Remember, honoring your mother should never be once a year but everyday of the year. Remind her all the time how important she is to you and that you love her always. Happy Mother’s Day to all of the wonderful Mothers out there, and if your reading this article I’m talking to you. God bless!!