Happy Mother's Day

Happy mother's day to all you mother's out there. You keep the world spinning. Special shout out love to my sister Kate, who is the best in the world at the motherhood game.

Interesting:

Pity the mother of Mother's Day.

Anna Jarvis - never married, never a mother - campaigned for almost a decade to dedicate a day to honour mothers. She chose a Sunday because she wanted it to be a "holy" day, not a holiday, and the second Sunday in May because it was the anniversary of the death of her own beloved mother.

Jarvis wanted us to show our mothers how much their devotion and sacrifice matters, how we esteem the "truth, purity and broad charity of mother love." She expected us to do it with simple gestures - in her opinion, a single white carnation and a heartfelt letter were best. Her carnations were handed out at the first Mother's Day ceremony exactly 100 years ago.

And look at how we repaid her.

Throughout the decades, the "holy" day has evolved into a retailing and marketing bonanza, each year becoming more and more a chance to spend money rather than time or effort, until we arrive at today, when retailers can, with a straight face, suggest you "show Mom you care" by buying their platinum charm bracelet, their "Thanks A Bunch" floral arrangement, or their discounted patio furniture (nothing says filial love like a powder-coated aluminum table you scored for 50 per cent off).

"I wanted it to be a day of sentiment, not profit," Jarvis complained, dismissing greeting cards as "a poor excuse for the letter you are too lazy to write."

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