For most of us the umbilical chord is a special bond that does not snap on birth. Mothers stand behind us through thick and thin. Even when we are grown up, we can share most of our life with our mother. – the secrets, hurts, joy and ecstasy – she is always there to understand and support us. Not many of us can claim to have done unto our mothers, what they have done for us. So we are in perpetual debt and occasions like Mother’s Day give us an opportunity to show how we feel for them - even if we cannot do a lot of things, which we want to do for them.

As many women would confess, motherhood is "the most unique experience" in life – often surpassing the feelings involved in love and marriage. Those nine months of oneness really enjoin the lives of mother and child like no other relationship can.

It is true that the greeting cards industry has tried to capitalize on it, and in a way commercialized it. But it has also made it convenient for many of us who live busy lives to express our feelings easily. 

I am especially excited this year because this special day is coinciding with my mother's birthday! So, in remembering her on this day, I would be able to wish her for birthday also. It is difficult to list all the wonderful things she did in rearing the five of us, but I can only say that whatever we are today is because of the values that she instilled in us and stood for. In spite of being a busy doctor, she could find time for all us and never let us down.

I do not expect any material gifts from my children. A big hug and warm smiles suffice for me. However, I enjoy their "secretive" card making and attempts to please me in their own special ways on this day. !

Normally, taking the day off is not for me. I try to be with my children everyday – share their day, their agonies and the ecstasies, their dreams and passion. The more important thing is that they appreciate the role of mothers like I do and grow up to be good parents themselves.

From early childhood I remember standing in front of the congregation in my small country church reciting Rudyard Kipling’s “Mother O Mine”.

“If I were hanged on the highest hill
Mother o’ Mine, O Mother o’ mine!
I know whose love would follow me still.
Mother o’ Mine, O Mother o’ mine!

If I were drowned in the deepest sea,
Mother o’ Mine, O Mother o’ mine!
I know whose tears would come down to me,
Mother o’ Mine, O Mother o’ mine!

If I were damned of body and soul,
I know whose prayers would make me whole,
Mother o’ Mine, O Mother o’ mine!


The second Sunday in May was exciting. We dressed early, clipped dew-spattered red, pink and white roses from our garden. We arrived at church early so children could greet all who came to worship by pinning a pink or red rose on a person whose mother was living and a white rose on a person whose mother was deceased.

Going home was exciting. Waiting for Mother was a handmade card of appreciation. Much time and thought was spent in preparing pictures and words. Later we sat down to a delicious fried chicken dinner that had been lovingly prepared by Mother.

In 1870 Julia Ward Howe made a plea for mothers everywhere to pray for peace to end the civil war. She held mother’s day meetings in Boston to help heal the emotional wounds of families torn by war. Mrs. Howe died in 1905 before realizing her goal of a national day honoring mothers and pleading for peace.

Mrs. Howe’s daughter, Anna Reese Jarvis, rekindled her mother’s desire for a day set aside to honor mothers. Through numerous speeches and a letter writing campaign, President Woodrow Wilson in 1914 officially proclaimed a national day honoring mothers. It was to be celebrated the second Sunday in May each year.

Celebrations today are much more sophisticated (though I think, not as meaningful). Hallmark cards, flowers from the florist, Whitman’s sampler candy, orchid corsages, dinner at a posh restaurant, are the accepted way of honoring mothers. Children “delight” mothers by preparing breakfast and taking it to their mother’s bed. (Needless to say, mothers have a monumental chore in cleaning up the kitchen.)

I will end with a song we sang long ago on Mother’s Day:

M for the million things she gave me
O is that she’s only growing old
T is for the tender love she gave me
H is for her heart of purest gold.
E for her lovely eyes shining
R is right and right she’ll always be.

Put them all together
And they spell mother
The word that means
The world to me.

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