The origin story of Mother’s Day began nearly 115 years ago with Mrs. Anna Maria Reeves Jarvis. Mrs. Jarvis was a social activist and community organizer during the Civil War era. Her daughter Ann Marie was very close to her mother, picked up on the idea of a day where mothers are honored because her mother kept talking about, “there ought to be a day that recognizes mothers.” On May 9, 1905, the day her mother passed away, Ms. Ann Marie Jarvis honored her great mother’s words at the funeral and initiated a campaign to give recognition to her mother. Three years later, in 1908, Ms. Ann Marie Jarvis celebrated her mother’s legacy publicly, this time on a larger scale in her hometown of Grafton, West Virginia. It is from that event, Ms. Ann Marie Jarvis the daughter of Mrs. Anna Maria Reeves Jarvis became known as the founder of Mother’s Day inspired by her own mother’s legacy of work in the community. As time moved on, many churches and communities began to honor their mothers and gradually it grew from churches, and communities to numerous states.
As a result of the Mother’s Day movement growing, Ms. Jarvis began to campaign more to have Mother’s Day upgraded to an official holiday. In 1914, President Woodrow Wilson agreed and signed a proclamation making Mother’s Day an official holiday on the second Sunday of May. That is how it all began, however at Practice U we believe Mother’s Day should celebrated beyond the 2nd Sunday of May and at the very least 3 times in her lifetime if not more because there is so much more we are overlooking. Allow me to elaborate.
My Birthday is Her Mother’s Day
The day that I was born is the day I celebrate and have the golden opportunity to have a do it my way type of holiday because it’s my birthday. It’s a special time where all the sunshine and love is aimed at me receiving gifts, prizes, and entertainment. At least, this is what we have been taught and practiced for years. However, what we have not been taught enough of is on my birthday, it was also my mother’s special day too. You see from her perspective, it was the day she gave birth to me and became a mother. It is the day we tend to overlook and never think about until it is brought to our attention that my birthday is her official Mother’s Day. But it doesn’t stop there. When she has more children, she has more than one official Mother’s Day throughout the year. As for me, I benefit in having more siblings to play with and learn from. So as a suggestion, the next time your birthday circles back around, start a new tradition on your birthday by telling your mother, mom or mama Happy Mother’s Day on the day you were born. Afterwards give her a gift on your birthday.
Second Mother’s Day
The 2nd Mother’s Day is the traditional annual 2nd Sunday of May that we all celebrate. It’s not the same as the day you or I were born unless your birthdate happens to be on the same day as Mother’s Day. That in itself is a super special moment like a leap year baby, because both mother and child have something special and unique to celebrate together every 7 years. If the child happens to be a a baby girl and she grows up to become a mother, her birthday and Mother’s Day will also be as mentioned before, a very special day. How unique is that? Unfortunately, it only happens for just a few girls in a unique little club.
Final Mother’s Day
The final Mother’s Day is not necessarily the final Mother’s Day pending on the healthiness of our relationship with our mother. However, it is the final day we see her face to face. It is a time, we respond in kindness highlighting who she was to us and how much she meant, an opportunity to speak of her legacy and keeping her body of work alive in the hearts and minds of those living like Ms. Ann Marie Jarvis did. Moving in that direction allows us to continue to honor our mother frequently whenever a discussion comes up. That being said, Mother’s Day continues until we pass-away and our loved ones pick up the tradition to honor us as their legend.
As a side note, passing away is not an easy time. It is however a part of life that goes back to the days of Adam and Eve when they chose to sin, and mankind lost out on the opportunity to live forever. Sometimes the question comes up asking, “What if only Eve had sinned, and Adam did not? Great question. The Bible is clear regarding that starting with Genesis 3:17-19 and answering it in Romans 5:12. Since these are the rules of life, it should be noted, this is just another reason why we have the traditions of honoring the living while they are alive. May the legendary work of our mothers continue to live in our hearts as it did with Ms. Ann Marie Jarvis.
Final Thoughts
In closing, because of the work that Mrs. Anna Maria Reeves Jarvis did in the presence of her daughter Ann Marie, Ms. Ann Marie Jarvis became known as the founder of Mother’s Day. Her mother had 9 children, unfortunately 7 of her children passed away early in infancy. She had 2 more children later on which included Ann Marie. In 1902, Ann Marie’s father passed way at age 73 and her mother passed away at age 72. Ms. Ann Marie Jarvis lived to be 84 years old, passing away in 1948 never married and had no children to continue her legacy or work. Her work however continues through us because each year we celebrate and honor our mother, mom or mama, we continue her work and keep it alive. Ms. Ann Marie Jarvis work continues to exist in the history books and on the internet.
