The history of Mother’s Day is pretty interesting. An early form of the idea may have originated in the 17th century England as “Mothering Sunday”, on which the servants, who generally lived with their employers, were encouraged to return home and honor their mothers. A special cake, called the mothering cake, was often brought along to provide a festive touch.
Mother’s Day, first suggested in 1872, is linked to the anti-war efforts of Julia Ward Howe. She hoped a day set aside to honour mothers would be a way to promote peace. In 1907 a woman by the name of Anna Jarvis took Howe’s idea a step further and began a campaign for a nationally recognized Mother’s Day.
After considerable effort, Anna Jarvis finally saw her dream realized. On May 9, 1914, President Woodrow Wilson made the official proclamation(宣布) that Mother’s Day would be an annual holiday on the second Sunday in May. And so it is to this day.
For those of us whose lives have been shaped and nurtured by loving moms, the day is a wonderful opportunity to say thank you. Unfortunately not everyone’s experience of family life evokes （唤起）gratitude. In the complicated maze of human existence, not all mother/child relationships are positive. Evoking the image of Mom for some can be an invitation down a painful memory lane.
There is also the reality that not all mothering figures are actually mothers. Hundreds of thousands of children have been raised by foster moms （养母）who never had children of their own, but who gave maternal （母亲般的）love to children that needed them. Aunts and older sisters have filled this role as well.
All I am saying is that it is complicated. We might wish that every family had an ideal balance of motherly and fatherly love, but that is simply not the case. There are many different ways that mothering happens. We may as well celebrate the ups and downs of our common life. For those whose childhood evokes praise and thanksgiving, let us give thanks. But for those whose childhood was marked by fear and loss, then let us offer healing.
In our world, there’s no reason why all experiences of family life, good and bad, can’t be included.
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