Mother's Day Journey

Journeys are filled with all sorts of adventures. Some are fun; some not so much, but the real adventure of a journey isn't the beginning, the middle, or the end. No, the real adventure is all the little things in between which when brought together compose the purpose of the journey. Yeah, I know, what the heck am I talking about? Think about it. This weekend we celebrate Mother's Day on Sunday, May 12th. It's a day in which we all are supposed to acknowledge mother's everywhere (especially our own) and honor the influence our mother's have had on society and the American culture. No, it isn't a day to go to the beach and work on our tans! (Bummer!) Nor is it a day to go out get drunk and have a nice family fight! It isn't even really about going out and buying the most expensive gift for mom just so we can be the sibling who spent the most on dear old mom! Nope, it's all about recognizing our moms, honoring them, and seeing what they did to help our society. At least that's what it meant in 1908 when Anna Jarvis held a memorial service for her mother. After she saw the success her idea had, she began working with Congress to make Mother's Day a holiday which would be recognized. IT worked! She did it! IN 1914, Mother's Day became a holiday in the United States. It's just that it didn't hold the reverence she wanted to expose other Americans too...Or rather the type of reverence she was seeking to share with other Americans. Yep, you got it! By the time the "roaring 20s" decade arrived, Jarvis was filled with disappointment for Big Business found a great way to commercialize it and make a pretty good profit. Yes, you know the rest, we are overwhelmed every year on the 2nd Sunday of May to purchase cards, flowers, jewelry, and other gifts which we proffer to our mothers as we move solidly along with society's view of ourselves and our mothers exposed. Did we get the right gift? Is the card sappy enough? How about a funny card? Gag gift? So many different items to choose from! So, what does this have to do with journeys and adventures? It's a journey of discovery! Discovering ourselves and morals! Discovering our true feelings about our moms and what they DID do to influence society. It's an adventure to see what WE learned not only from our moms, but from society. It's an awakening on understanding who we are and what we stand for! Sometimes its fun and sometimes its not; but it does indicate who we are and the type of journey we are traveling on. The most interesting aspect of this is that each year we celebrate Mother's Day it is always new and ever changing. Just as our life journey is always confronted with obstacles or incentives leading to new openings or paths to explore. FUN! Yep, always something interesting and it's always the little things that bring the happiest smiles and hugs from moms. IN the end it is the stories and memories which remain and will be either remembered fondly or sadly....it depends on our journey and who we share this particular adventure with. Enjoy! Have Fun! and maybe, just maybe, think about what Anna Jarvis wanted to share with us....A day in which we thank our mothers for all they have done or not done (which ever you have had) and think, discuss, and talk about the role mothers played in influencing society. Happy Mother's Day to all the women who have influenced me! Especially, my mom and my stepmom! Love you both!