Mother's Day As A Hallmark Holiday

So many of our holidays have moved away from their original conception and become commercialized.

Today, my first Mother’s Day as a grieving mother, is hard. It started me thinking of all those mothers out there who have lost children, who are hurting today. There are millions.

The origin of Mother’s Day, in the western world, began from a woman who wanted a day to honour and remember her mother who had passed away. The first mother’s day in the states was a memorial held at St. Andrew’s Church.

Very soon the greeting card companies and other outlets, commercialized the holiday. It became so bad, that the woman who originally started the holiday began protesting against it. It had so changed from what she intended that she felt compelled to speak out.

Mother’s Day isn’t the only day like this. Father’s Day and Valentine’s Day also come to mind.

Valentine’s Day has a number of myths associated with it, but it is suppose to be a day to tell your loved one how you feel. That has morphed into mainly being about lovers but it leaves out so many more types of love - our love for our Siblings, friends, parents, and children. With the movement towards a holiday for lovers, not only does it leave out other types of love, it is a painful reminder to more than half the population that they are alone.

The original Mother’s Day was meant to honour mother’s. A Memorial Day. A day to remember. Now instead we often fall into the trap of using it to remember our mother’s and pay attention to them, when we should be doing that all year long.

I know that I have a different prospective now. And I also know, that I had a sweet wonderful, beautiful son who didn’t just wait for Mother’s Day to reach out to me or spend time with me. But even I have to admit, I cherished the cards and flowers I received that day. I was at the time, not thinking of those hundreds and thousands of mother’s who hurt today.

Today on this first of many Mother’s Days to come, I was showered in love. From family, Friends, those who’s lives CJ touched and those who thought about him and I today. I was surrounded with love from them, and through them I felt CJ at my side.

I don’t think we should abolish Mother’s Day. And I do think there are many who see Mother’s Day as originally intended.. to honour our Mother’s, both here and gone. But maybe we should be protesting the commercialization.

Mother’s Day for those of us who live on the dark side of the moon can be painful. But if we all remember those who are hurting. If we all remember those who have lost a mother or a child. If we could reach out to them and remind them someone is thinking of them and their loved ones. Trust me, the pain is a little less with each reminder that others remember too.