True essence of Mother's Day

M. Tolkham Maring *

Tribal Youth Council, Manipur (TYCM) wishes a very Happy Mother's Day to all people in general and all mothers in particular on this auspicious and revered MOTHER'S DAY, the Second Sunday of May 2013.

Members of TYCM express their gratefulness and love from the bottom of their hearts to all mothers for their invaluable contributions, love, care and understanding towards progressive civilization. It is a time for celebration for some while some may be wanting the same celebration on this day. This is a day for prayer to God so that blessing is showered upon all.

Mother's Day is a celebration honoring mothers and motherhood, maternal bonds, and the influence of mothers in society. It is celebrated on various days in many parts of the world, most commonly in March, April or May. It complements Father's Day, a similar celebration honoring fathers.

History of how people had started honouring the mothers may be traced back to the time even before Anna Jarvis of the United States of America. Nevertheless, the concept of "Mother's Day" has been attributed to Anna Jarvis. It is an American invention. It is worth remembering how Anna Jarvis was instrumental in recognizing the importance of a mother in our lives.

Mother's Day is not directly descended from the many celebrations of mothers and motherhood that have occurred throughout the world over thousands of years, such as the Greek cult to Cybele, the Roman festival of Hilaria, or the Christian Mothering Sunday celebration in United Kingdom.

Despite this, in some countries Mother's Day has become synonymous with these older traditions. The modern holiday of Mother's Day was first celebrated in 1908, when Anna Jarvis held a memorial for her mother in America.

She then began a campaign to make "Mother's Day" a recognized holiday in the United States. Although she was successful in 1914, she was already disappointed with its commercialization by the 1920s.

Jarvis' holiday was adopted by other countries and it is now celebrated all over the world. In this tradition, each person offers a gift, card, or remembrance toward their mothers, grandmothers, and/or maternal figure on mother's day.

In 1912, Anna Jarvis trademarked the phrases "second Sunday in May" and "Mother's Day", and created the Mother's Day International Association. She specifically noted that "Mother's" should "be a singular possessive, for each family to honour their mother, not a plural possessive commemorating all mothers in the world."[9]

This is also the spelling used by U.S. President Woodrow Wilson in the law making official the holiday in the United States, by the U.S. Congress in relevant bills, and by various U.S. presidents in their proclamations concerning Mother's Day. However, "Mothers' Day" (plural possessive) or "Mothers Day" (plural non-possessive) are also sometimes seen.

TYCM hope and believe that by celebrating this day, a positive change in all fields in will usher in lives with the blessing from above.

Let there be more Anna Jarvis in the world of ours.

May God be with all the mothers!

Long live, the mothers.