May 10, 2020

“Mother’s Day”

By Jim Culp

Here we are again, another Mother’s Day here in the USA. This holiday (one of the only American holidays that I observe) is a very important one, and it is celebrated in some form and on some date in many countries across our planet. These include such events as celebrating Cybele or Rhea, the Greek goddesses that were “mothers of all men.” There is also the Roman festival of Hilaria, a Roman Festival to honor the goddess and her gifts to mankind. In the modern world, you can see examples such as “Mothering Sunday” that is celebrated in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Like the USA, it is common for it to be celebrated in churches and other places of worship.

On the scientific side of things, a mother is one of the most critical components in the Animal Kingdom. She is the female in reproduction, the “other” sex in our asymmetrical place in the big show. She gives birth, provides milk, and keeps her offspring safe from harm. Human mothers share all these characteristics and are distanced from “lesser” animals by their possession of the ability of cognitive thinking.

On the “human side, the mother is a critical part of the family unit (just as much as the father is) and cares for her children until they can care for themselves. The father (historically) is the protector and provider. A mother loves her children, and is always there to care for their needs, most importantly love.

Mother’s Day was started (officially) by Anna Jarvis in 1908 for her he mother. In 1914, President Woodrow Wilson signed the bill into law establishing Mother’s Day in the United States of America.

When I was a little scrub, I lived with my Mother, my Stepfather, and my brothers and sisters. Mother’s Day always coincides with a Sunday on our calendar, so we as (Christians (the non-Catholic flavor) went to church as usual. On these holidays, though, the pastor would deliver a sermon telling us about how important mothers are, and even how Mary carried for her son, the Christ. It was usually the same thing, but after all of that was over, we would go to a cafeteria for lunch. This was mainly so Mom did not have to cook; she could enjoy a relaxing day. I liked it for two reasons. 1) I got to choose what I wanted to eat, and 2) I did not have to do the &%^$%# dishes when we got home.

We always gave Mom some sort of gift on Mother’s Day, and a card or flowers. Being the crafty kid that I was, I would save money by stealing flowers from the neighbor’s yard and giving them to Mom. She always say “oh these are beautiful!! Where did you get them?”

Later in life, I was a young soldier stationed at Fort Riley in 1989. My wife was pregnant with our daughter for most of that year, so it was interesting to say the least. Then, on December 16^th, our daughter was born. My wife was suddenly a mother, and I was a Dad. That moment is a quickening for any person, and it must be excruciating and exiting for a mother all at the same time.

Many years later in life, my mother was elderly, and she and I talked about her early days of marriage and motherhood. She told me about the morning I was born, and how life was so different back then.

My mother passed to the other side three years ago, and I always hope that she passed knowing the I loved her and appreciated as my Mom.

To all my friends and relatives who are mothers across the world, please accept my finest wishes that you have a wonderful Mother’s Day.

-Jim 

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