A man thought that he was too busy to visit his mother on Mother’s Day. So, he stopped at a florist shop next to a cemetery to wire her some carnations.
Tag: mother’s day
Helping mothers in need
As Mother’s Day approaches on Sunday, May 10, our thoughts turn to the importance of all mothers in our lives.
Family traditions are vital
As we prepare to celebrate Mother’s Day on May 12, I’ve been thinking of the mothers in my family and how they continue to impact us.
One of the ways we remember our mothers is through the family traditions they carried on or started. For example, my mother-in-law, Ruth, had a number of favorite recipes which we still use today. Her recipes for pasta salad, lasagna, and dill dip are still popular in our family. One of our granddaughters often asks us to make dill dip, which she enjoys eating with potato chips.
A Mother’s Day gift: paid maternity leave
Did you know that women are the sole breadwinners in nearly half of U.S. households?
Yet, when women give birth to a baby, 88 percent of them are paid nothing in the weeks they take off after having a child.
These statistics were reported in an article by Cindy Goodman in the Miami Herald entitled, “Best Mother’s Day gift: paid maternity leave.”
As we approach Mother’s Day on May 8, it’s a time to thank and celebrate all mothers who gave us the gift of life.
Let’s do more to encourage motherhood
As we look forward to celebrating Mother’s Day on Sunday, May 10, it is an opportunity to reflect on motherhood.
Motherhood is something we take for granted. After all, we wouldn’t be here if our mothers didn’t give us life. Yet, motherhood is not a given in society today, especially in our country.
In 2012, I wrote in my “Editor’s View” column that the number of births in the United States had been dropping. Is that trend continuing?
Yes, it is! In checking on statistics for births, I found that our country continues to experience a decline in births. The last statistics I found cover the number of births for the 12-month period ending in June of 2013. That number was 3,932,181, down from the count of 3,952,841 in 2012. This continues the decline in the number of births from the all-time high of 4,316,233 in 2007.
Mothers leave indelible mark of love on our hearts
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A man felt that he was too busy to visit his mother on Mother’s Day, so he stopped at a florist to wire her some carnations.
A little girl came in and tried to buy a rose for her mom for 75 cents. The clerk told her that a rose costs two dollars. Tears revealed her pain.
The man generously paid for the girl’s rose and then ordered carnations for his mother.
As he drove thoughtfully away, he saw the little girl in the nearby cemetery. He stopped and saw her tearfully placing the rose on her mother’s grave.
The man canceled his wire order of carnations. He personally delivered them to his mother. He decided to enjoy her presence while she was still alive.
The ‘mother’ of Mother’s Day
Anna Jarvis (1864-1948) was so proud of her mother that she worked to establish a day when she and others could honor their mother and all mothers. She is known as the “mother” of Mother’s Day.
Remembering mothers: On Mother’s Day and throughout the year
Mother’s Day is set aside to remember and honor all mothers. It is important that we recognize mothers on this Sunday, May 11.
As a mother myself and now a grandmother, I appreciate spending time with my children and grandchildren. The gift of time is probably more important than cards and gifts, but most mothers like to receive a small token of love from their children.
Many of us keep those special homemade cards and drawings we got through the years. I found some of them when we moved from our house to a condo last year and enjoyed sharing them with our now grown children.
But while Mother’s Day should be observed in some way, we should also remember mothers throughout the year. This is especially vital for our aging mothers, mothers-in-law, and grandparents. They especially cherish the time we can spend with them, including those who live in senior housing, assisted living, or nursing homes.
A mother leaves indelible marks of love on our heart
Enrico Caruso, the great tenor, grew up in poverty. His mother sacrificed to pay for his first singing lesson. However, his voice teacher told him, “You can’t sing. Your voice sounds like the wind in the shutters.”
Enrico walked home discouraged, with shaky steps and tearful eyes. “Mamma” he sobbed, “My teacher said that I can’t sing! I want to quit singing lessons.”
Enrico’s mother hugged him and said, “My son, you’ve got a great voice. Don’t give up. Someday you’ll be a great singer!
Encouraging mothers: Society can do more to support mothers and mothers-to-be
We all need mothers. Obviously we wouldn’t be here if our mothers didn’t give us life. Yet, as we look forward to Mother’s Day on this Sunday, May 13, I think we need to examine what our society is doing to encourage and support mothers and mothers-to-be.
We thank God for our mothers
Some mothers claim that they would do anything for their children. Stephanie Decker, a 37-year-old Indiana mother, demonstrated this in a heroic way.
On March 2, as a tornado crushed her family home, Stephanie covered her children with her body to protect them. Debris from the tornado caused her to lose part of both legs while saving her children from the deadly 175 mph tornado.
Enduring maternal bond
Someone wrote that a mother carries her child in her womb for nine months and in her heart for the rest of her life. Conceiving, carrying, and giving birth to a human being is as close as any person can come to the act of creation. After birth, motherhood continues through nurturing, sacrificing, loving, and ultimately letting go.