Mothers deserve their own special day

Today is special. We pause to pay tribute to those extraordinary women we know as mother, mama or mom.

No matter her parental title, she is to have all the honor she deserves.

Mom does it all – a little bit of everything – cook, cleaner, washer, doctor, cheerleader, driver, coach and teacher. That’s just the short list. The duties for this lady are endless.

Through the years, the roles may have been different, but mom has always had a special place in our lives.

She wears many hats and at the same time makes darn sure you keep yours off when you come into the house.

According to Wikipedia, the first known observance of Mother’s Day in the United States was in Albion, Mich., on May 13, 1877, the second Sunday of the month.

According to local legend, Albion pioneer, Juliet Calhoun Blakeley, stepped in to complete the sermon of the Rev. Myron Daughterty, who was distraught because an anti-temperance group had forced his son and two other temperance advocates to spend the night in a saloon and become publicly drunk.

In the pulpit, Blakeley called on other mothers to join her.

Blakeley’s two sons, both traveling salesmen, were so moved they vowed to return each year to pay tribute to her and embarked on a campaign to urge their business contacts to do likewise.

At their urging, in the early 1880s, the Methodist Episcopal Church in Albion set aside the second Sunday in May to recognize the special contributions of mothers.

That’s one of the origins of Mother’s Day.

There are other related stories on how this special spring day began in tribute to mothers, but thank goodness it has endured and we still pause to honor her.

A mother’s role has changed somewhat in recent years. We now have more mothers in the workforce, but they always find time to be that special person in our lives.

On this day, it’s common to wear a rose – white in memory of a late mother, or red to honor one still handling her maternal duties. No matter the situation in your life, take time to honor her.

If your mother is living, be sure and make it special. She quite likely has been special in your life. If for some reason, you and your mother might have drifted apart, possibly today is the time to mend matters. Time does wonders in the healing process.

If your mother is deceased, take time to honor her memory and the blessing she was in your family.

If a personal visit isn’t possible, make sure you make a phone call.

Reach out and touch. Mom deserves some open arms, warm hugs and most definitely a special day.