PRAYER FOR A MOTHER

This poem is dedicated to the memory of
my Mother, Irene Bliss

July 21, 1915 - July 23, 2002

Thank you Lord, for this mother who gave,

Her body to harbor me,

Keeping me safe, from the ills of this world,

Through viability.

Thank you Lord for this mother of mine,

Who nourished me with her breast,

And labored unceasing, from daylight till dark,

With so little time for rest.

And thank you for, a mother, who loved,

With only a love you could give,

And vowed with her heart, to watch over me,

So long, as we both, should live.

Thank you Lord, for this mother of mine,

Who suffered with pain and in tears,

And then for her effort, received no rewards,

No laurels, no trophies, no cheers.

What can I do for this mother of mine,

That generously gave, without thought,

Neglecting her needs, for the wants that were mine,

Counting her own needs as naught.

All I can give, is my unending love,

And my prayers and petitions to you,

That you will reward her, her toil and her tears,

When her life on earth is through.

The History of Mother's Day

The earliest Mother's Day celebrations can be traced back to the spring celebrations of ancient Greece in honor of Rhea, the Mother of the Gods. During the 1600's, England celebrated a day called "Mothering Sunday." Celebrated on the 4th Sunday of Lent (the 40 day period leading up to Easter), "Mothering Sunday" honored the mothers of England.

During this time many of the England's poor worked as servants for the wealthy. As most jobs were located far from their homes, the servants would live at the houses of their employers. On Mothering Sunday the servants would have the day off and were encouraged to return home and spend the day with their mothers. A special cake, called the mothering cake, was often brought along to provide a festive touch.

As Christianity spread throughout Europe the celebration changed to honor the "Mother Church" -- the spiritual power that gave them life and protected them from harm. Over time the church festival blended with the Mothering Sunday celebration. People began honoring their mothers as well as the church.

In the United States Mother's Day was first suggested in 1872 by Julia Ward Howe (who wrote the words to the Battle Hymn of the Republic) as a day dedicated to peace. Ms. Howe would hold organized Mother's Day meetings in Boston, MA, every year.

In 1907 Anna Jarvis, from Philadelphia, began a campaign to establish a national Mother's Day. Ms. Jarvis persuaded her mother's church in Grafton, West Virginia, to celebrate Mother's Day on the second anniversary of her mother's death, the 2nd Sunday of May. By the next year, Mother's Day was also celebrated in Philadelphia.

Ms. Jarvis and her supporters began to write to ministers, businessman, and politicians in their quest to establish a national Mother's Day. It was successful as by 1911 Mother's Day was celebrated in almost every state. President Woodrow Wilson, in 1914, made the official announcement proclaiming Mother's Day as a national holiday that was to be held each year on the 2nd Sunday of May.

While many countries of the world celebrate their own Mother's Day at different times throughout the year, there are some countries such as Denmark, Finland, Italy, Turkey, Australia, and Belgium which also celebrate Mother's Day on the second Sunday of May.