Mother’s Day is here again, another reason to honour all the mothers and women in your lives who have given you many reasons to smile and sometimes cry when they practise the acts of tough love.
It is not by chance that Mother’s Day is also celebrated in March, a month which has been carefully set aside for extraordinary women doing
extraordinary things. Historically, Mother’s Day was conceived by Anna Jarvis on May 12, 1907, when she held a memorial service in honour of her own mother who organised women’s groups in her days to promote friendship and happiness among women.
The day is still celebrated globally on a Sunday in March or May in other countries, including the USA, which was Anna Jarvis home country.
Although Mother’s Day has found a niche in the commercial market, just like any landmark occasion, with families at war on buying the most expensive present for mum, the real interpretation of love, especially to a mother or mother figure, is often worth more than silver or gold.
Mothers should be celebrated every day for their commitment, selflessness, compassion and sacrifices they make and they should not only be remembered on Mother’s Day.
The simple acts of love you show towards your mother and woman in your lives daily will have an everlasting impact on their health and well-being for the rest of their lives.
Leave a memory
On Mother’s Day, it is important to leave a memory behind in the heart of your mother or mother figure if you have never had the opportunity to do so – perhaps you have only been sending them money or gifts to commemorate the day, do something different this year on top of your usual, to simply express what they mean to you.
You can write her a special poem and read it to her if you will be visiting her or send it as a text message or voice note so that she can hear your voice and listen to it repeatedly if you live far away.
Capture the little voices
Grandparents always hold a special place in the heart of children and it is important to get them to express their love for them in special and creative ways too.
Capture the children’s voices of what nana stands for in their lives by asking them to draw their expressions using paper and coloured pencils; give them glitters to add some glitz to their story and let their imagination about their grandparents take them to places.
Time is of the essence
The most memorable gift you can give your mother, grandmother, mother-in-law, and mother figures this Mother’s Day is the gift of time. On this special occasion, whether you have bought their favourite presents or not, make time for those special women in your life; give them a day off from their usual activities of caring for everyone else and focus on them and them alone for the day.
If you are fortunate to have your mothers and mothers-in-law living in the same city, take the opportunity to take them out for a meal together or host a family thanksgiving meal in their honour.
Happy Mother’s Day!
Credit: PUNCH