Today, the world pauses to pay tribute to a woman who is privileged to be called “Mama,” “Mommy,” “Nanay” and other endearing terms that carry the statement – “This woman is part of me!”
Being called “Mother” conveys honor, respect, trust, and love. To the one called “Mother,” it is an appreciation and acknowledgement for the selfless act of giving birth to a child and taking care of a young person, oftentimes even after independence takes over. The honor is also shared by non-traditional mothers, the ones taking care of children of siblings or friends, just to answer the call of duty.
A mother is the supreme multi-tasker. She has too many roles – teacher, disciplinarian, friend, housekeeper, cook, driver, confidant, wish-come-true funder. Surprisingly, a mother can find time to sleep in between feeding, diaper changes, unpredictable behavior – and even cook and do housekeeping chores for the other members of the family.
As the child grows up, a mother’s tasks increase in number and in responsibility. The mother soldiers on, an apt description of that phase of life. And then you see them in graduation ceremonies, with misty eyes and stories about “my little one now a grown up.”
A child’s graduation, or leaving home to work, is not the end of mothering. It continues and oftentimes, her constant comments on how an adult child should act, find time to sleep, or eat the right food, can cause the end to a relationship. But still, mothering does not end there.
When the child has a family, a mother is consulted like an instruction manual that can be opened 24/7. Then the mother demonstrates some mothering tasks, like babysitting.
As an old saying that had been paraphrased says – A mother’s work is never done. A child who came from her womb and she has reared to adulthood, will always be part of a mother. Not even distance can stop a mother from doing what the heart was molded to be. In a mother’s heart, a child will always live, be loved, and also forgiven.
History has always had a day to honor mothers. In the Middle Ages, the Greeks and Romans held festivals to honor goddesses of mothers. Its Christian roots came from a festival called “Mothering Sunday” which was celebrated in many parts of Europe in the 1800s. In the 1900s, Mother’s Day evolved from mothers clubs to a national Mother’s Day which celebrated the first official Mother’s Day in May 1908.
The day is now celebrated around the world with many countries setting it on the second Sunday of May. In the Philippines, Proclamation No. 266, signed by President Corazon C. Aquino in June 1988 declared every second Sunday of May as “Mother’s Day” and third Sunday of June as “Father’s Day.” The tradition started in the Philippines in the 1920s. In 1937, President Manuel L. Quezon declared a Mother’s Day celebration every year on the first Monday of December. The same date was also set as proclamations by President Ferdinand Marcos in 1980 and President Joseph Ejercito Estrada in 1998.
A woman called “Mother” deserves today, any other day of the year, and even every day, to be made to feel appreciated and loved.
Happy Mother’s Day to the women who took us, baby-strangers, into their lives a long time ago!
Take a longer look at your mother today and likely, you will see a part of yourself.