Mother's Day History

Defining the role of 'mother' is neither exhaustive nor universal and any definition of 'mother' may differ based on how social, cultural, and religious roles are defined. A 'mother', whether biological, adoptive, or stepmother (other mother), is usually the primary caregiver, fulfilling the main social role in raising the child(ren).

One of the more famous mother's in history, is Mary, Mother of Jesus, also known as Saint Mary or the Blessed Virgin Mary. The New Testament describes Mary as a virgin who conceived her son miraculously by the command of God. This took place when Mary, at the age of 12 or 13, was already betrothed to a carpenter named Joseph and was awaiting marriage. The angel Gabriel appeared to Mary and announced her divine selection to be the mother of Jesus. After marrying Joseph she travelled with him to Bethlehem, where Jesus was born.

Although Mary's life held great honor, her calling would demand great suffering as well. Just as there is pain in childbirth and motherhood, there would be much pain in the privilege of being the mother of the Messiah.

Mother Teresa is another well known 'mother'. While not a 'typical' mother in the sense that we have come to define, was a Roman Catholic sister and missionary who lived most of her life in India. Mother Teresa was widely admired by many for her charitable works, giving wholehearted free service. She ran hospices and homes for people with HIV/AIDS, leprosy and tuberculosis; soup kitchens, mobile clinics, children's and family counselling programs, orphanages and schools. She was, in every sense, a mother to the poorest of the poor.

Mother's Day is a celebration honoring motherhood, maternal bonds, and the influence of mothers in society.

In England, during the 1600's, Christians celebrated a day to honor Mary, the mother of Christ. The holiday, celebrated on the 4th Sunday of Lent, was later expanded to include all mothers, and called 'Mothering Sunday', which included a cake called the mothering cake. Servants would have this day off and were encouraged to spend the day with their mothers.

As Christianity spread throughout Europe the celebration changed to honor the 'Mother Church' and over time the church festival blended with the 'Mothering Sunday' celebration with people honoring mothers as well as the church. This tradition slowly ceased with the passage of time.

In the United States, Mother's Day was loosely inspired by the British day and was first suggested after the American Civil War by social activist Julia Ward Howe. Julia, born to Wall Street stockbroker, Samuel Ward III, was a prominent social activist and poet, and the author of "The Battle Hymn of the Republic", which she was inspired to write in November 1861 after she and her husband met with Abraham Lincoln at the White House. It quickly became one of the most popular songs of the Union during the American Civil War.

After the war Julia decided to become active in reform and focused her activities on the causes of pacifism and women's suffrage. She founded many women's clubs and associations and in 1870, became president of the New England Women’s Club and founded the weekly "Woman’s Journal", a suffragist magazine which was widely read. That same year, she wrote her "Appeal to womanhood throughout the world" to rise against war, later known as 'Mother's Day Proclamation', asking women from around the world to join for world peace. In 1872, she asked that "Mother's Day" be celebrated on the 2nd of June; however, her efforts were unsuccessful.

Mother's Day was first celebrated in 1908, when Anna Jarvis held a memorial for her mother in Grafton, West Virginia, honoring her own mother by continuing work she started and to set aside a day to honor mothers. Her campaign to make Mother's Day a recognized holiday in the United States began in 1905, the year her mother, Ann Reeves Jarvis, died. Large jars of white carnations were set about the platform where the service was conducted. At the end of the exercise one of these white carnations was given to each person present as a souvenir of Mother's Day.

Anna, preferring to remain unmarried, spent many years looking after her ailing mother. When her mother died in Philadelphia on May 9, 1905, Anna missed her greatly and felt children often neglected to appreciate their mother enough while the mother was still alive.

Anna's mother was a peace activist who cared for wounded soldiers on both sides of the Civil War and created Mother’s Day Work Clubs to address public health issues. Ann Marie Reeves Jarvis, a young Appalachian homemaker who, starting in 1858, had attempted to improve sanitation through what she called 'Mothers Friendship Day'. In the 1900's, at a time when most women devoted their time solely on their family and homes, Jarvis was working to assist in the healing of the nation after the Civil War.

Due to Anna's campaign efforts, several states officially recognized Mother's Day, the first in 1910 being West Virginia, Jarvis’ home state. In 1914 Woodrow Wilson signed the proclamation creating Mother’s Day, the second Sunday in May, as a national holiday to honor mothers. It soon crossed national boundaries into Mexico, Canada, South America, China, Japan and Africa.

By the early 1920's, Hallmark and other companies started selling Mother's Day cards. The commercialization of Mother's Day soon caused Anna to become resentful and angry that companies would profit from the holiday. Jarvis became so embittered by what she saw as misinterpretation and exploitation that she protested and tried to rescind Mother's Day.

The holiday that she worked so hard for was supposed to be about sentiment. Jarvis organized boycotts and threatened lawsuits to try to stop the commercialization. She crashed a candymakers' convention in Philadelphia in 1923, and two years later protested the American War Mothers, which raised money by selling carnations, the flower associated with Mother’s Day, and was arrested for disturbing the peace.

In 1933, Roosevelt’s first year in office, Mrs. H. McCluer of Kansas City, a past National President of the American War Mothers, put forth the idea of having a special stamp for use in conjunction with Mother's Day mail. After presenting her idea to President Roosevelt on January 25, 1934, was informed on February 16 that her request had been granted.

President Roosevelt, known to have been devoted to his own mother, personally sketched his idea for the stamp.

Jarvis's holiday was adopted by other countries and it is now celebrated all over the world. According to the National Restaurant Association, Mother's Day is now the most popular day of the year to dine out at a restaurant.

Mother's Day continues to this day to be one of the most commercially successful occasions.

Italian Herb Bread

Ingredients:

1 Loaf French Bread

1/2 cup margarine

2 tbsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp savory

1 tsp celery salt

1/2 tsp rosemary

1/2 tsp thyme

1/2 tsp chervil (or parsley)

1/2 tsp basil

1 tsp sage

3 tsp parsley

1/2 tsp oregano

Directions:

Combine all ingredients, spread on sliced bread. Wrap in foil. Heat in 350 deg. Oven for 30 minutes.

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Roasted Vegetable Medley

Serves 8

Ingredients:

1 large butternut squash (1.5 lbs)
1 pound carrots
1 pound parsnips
1 small rutabaga
1 pound shallots
3 tsp dried rosemary
3 tbsp olive oil
Sea salt and pepper




Directions:

Preheat oven to 450° F. Peel and remove seeds, cutting the squash into ½ inch wedges. Peel and cut carrots and parsnips into 2 inch lengths. Peel and cut rutabaga into ½ inch wedges. Peel shallots and cut into halves, if large.

Combine the vegetables and rosemary in a large bowl. Drizzle with oil, sprinkle with 1 tsp salt, and season with pepper. Toss to combine and spread in an even layer on parchment lined baking sheet.

Roast until vegetables are tender and golden in color, tossing occasionally (approximately 40-50 minutes). Serve warm.

Sweet Potato Wedges with Sesame-Soy Dip

Serves 6

Ingredients:

4 sweet potatoes
1 ½ tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
2 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tsp sesame oil
1 ½ tsp sesame seeds
Sea salt




Directions:

Preheat oven to 425° F. Toss potato wedges (cut into ¾ inch wedges) with olive oil and ¼ tsp salt. Spread in an even lay on a parchment lined baking sheet. Roast approximately 30 minutes, until tender and slightly browned, turning halfway through.

For dipping sauce, stir together soy sauce, vinegar, and sesame oil in small bowl.

Transfer potato wedges to a serving dish, immediately sprinkling with sesame seeds. Serve with the dipping sauce.

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Italian Bean and Artichoke Salad

*Be careful not to marinate the beans and artichokes more than half an hour, or the green color will turn dull.
 
Serves 6

Ingredients

3 ½ cups green beans (or two pkgs 10 oz frozen), cooked and diced
2 cups (10 oz pkg frozen) artichoke hearts, cooked and diced
¼ cup diced pimento
½ cup olive oil
¼ cup red wine vinegar
1 tsp onion juice
½ tsp salt
½ tsp oregano
¼ tsp crushed rosemary
1/8 tsp pepper




Directions

Cook green beans and artichoke hearts separately according to label directions; then drain and cool. Add pimentos, cover and chill. Make dressing separately by combining olive oil with wine vinegar, onion juice, salt, oregano, rosemary and pepper. Lightly toss with bean mixture and chill well. To serve: drain beans and artichoke hearts from the dressing, using a slotted spoon. Mound on serving platter. Serve extra dressing alongside, if desired.

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The Tears of a Cow

Cows are amongst the gentlest of breathing creatures; none show more passionate tenderness to their young when deprived of them; and, in short, I am not ashamed to profess a deep love for these quiet creatures. ~Thomas de Quincey

The term cattle, a word borrowed from the Anglo-Norman French word catel, itself borrowed from medieval Latin capitale (principal sum of money, or capital) is a variant of chattel (unit of personal property) and closely related to capital (in the economic sense) which originally referred to movable personal property, specifically livestock of any kind.

Domesticated since at least the early Neolithic period, cattle occupy a unique role in human history. In many cultures, they are raised for meat, dairy products, hides, and also used as draft animals. Some consider cattle the oldest form of wealth, with cattle raiding consequently being one of the earliest forms of theft.

In Hinduism, the cow is thought to be sacred or very holy, whereby most Hindus don't eat beef. The cow represents strength, and is respected by Hindus for her gentle nature which embodies the main teaching of Hinduism. Having great respect for the cow, and like other animals, Hindus believe that all life has a soul in which God resides, thus killing it would be a crime.

The cow was possibly revered because Hindus relied heavily on it for dairy products and for tilling the fields, and on cow dung for fuel and fertilizer. Thus, the cow’s status as a caretaker led to identifying it as an almost maternal figure. In earlier days, cattle being limited to select few fortunate folks, enjoyed the status that gold or money enjoys today.

How does it come to be that one culture considers a certain species of animal to be a mere commodity, whereas another culture will revere the same species as sacred?

Is it arrogance or is it conditioning that leads us to make the choices we make? Speciesism is a term that was coined by Richard D. Ryder, a British psychologist, in 1970, and refers to the idea that being human is a good enough reason for human animals to have greater moral rights than non-human animals … that all other species of animals are inferior and may therefore be used for human benefit without regard to the suffering inflicted.

Most of us who have ever had dogs as pets, include them as part of the family … man's best friend. Therefore, we are appalled and disgusted by the practice of dog meat consumption in Yulin or Jinhua, or wherever.

According to Jinhua's website, folklore states that the tradition of dog meat consumption originated when, in the 14th century, Hu Dahai, a rebel battling the Yuan Dynasty, ordered all dogs in Jinhua to be slaughtered because their barking had warned rebels of his army’s approach. His soldiers were then treated to dog meat, and it has since been a custom at temple fairs.

Whether there is any truth to this story or not is really of no importance. The importance lies in asking ourselves the following questions. Have I actually taken the time to question all outdated concepts and superficial values? Am I still just blindly following along with ideas based on the whim of another person many centuries before me? Am I truly the person I thought I was?

I considered myself to be a true animal lover. After all, I had many pets in my life: dogs, cats, birds, fish, etc. I visited petting zoos with the kids. I admired the picturesque beauty of horses and cows out to pasture as I drove by. But was I truly an animal lover, or did I pick and choose which animals deserved my moral consideration? There was a time I could walk into a grocery store and purchase meat without giving any consideration to the fact that it once was a beautiful living soul. I came to realize that I was a speciesist!

Waking up doesn't always happen in one full swoop, but in a series of smaller awakenings. This realization was big … and I had been hitting the snooze button far too long. When one is witness to the tears of a cow before she goes to slaughter, or cry out in anguish when her calf is taken away from her, it changes a person. It tore at my heart and opened my eyes with a jolt. How could I have missed this? How could I have been so blind?

If I was to consider myself an animal lover, immediate changes were to be made … and so they were. It wasn't a gradual removal of things off the grocery list either, but all meat and animal by-products were no longer an option. How could they be?

Cows form bonding relationships with other cows, just as we do with people. They have favorite or best friends and have a strong maternal bond with their young. And like us, if a cow is separated from their friends or their young, they become stressed. When allowed, a mother cow will remain close with her young for life.

In all factory farms, cows are artificially impregnated for milk production. After giving birth, they are almost immediately separated from their babies. Female calves will follow the fate of their mothers, while the males will suffer a worse fate with the meat industry.

After a calf is taken from his mother, she cries out for him with longing and heartbreaking distress.

Cows spend most of their lives bearing calves and giving milk. When their milk capacity ceases they are no longer of use, therefore disposed of in lieu of the high cost of keeping them.

Cows have the ability to express many emotions, and joy is one such emotion. Usually, cows are happy when they are let out to pasture in the spring, but these cows are happier than the average dairy cow because they no longer have the stress of giving milk in their lives, until their body is leached out, or from losing their babies. Here you can feel their joy, after these cows were rescued!

“When I look into the eyes of an animal, I do not see an animal. I see a living being. I see a friend. I feel a soul.” ~A.D. Williams

 




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~ This Hot Little Tamale Is An Aphrodisiac ~

~ Turn on the HEAT 
 Spice up your love life with
Cayenne Pepper ~

Cayenne pepper, named for the city of Cayenne in French Guiana, is also known as the Guinea spice, cow-horn pepper, red hot chili pepper, bird pepper, and in its powdered form, red pepper. The fruits are generally dried and ground, then sifted to make the powdered spice of the same name, which is used to flavor dishes. Relatively high in vitamin A, vitamin B6, vitamin C, vitamin E, riboflavin, potassium, and manganese. However, it's nutrient contribution is minimal due to the small amount consumed in a serving.

Aphrodisiacs have been sought since the beginning of time. A mixture of chocolate and chili peppers were reserved strictly for the pleasures of Aztec Royalty, leading them to believe it had SPIRITUAL and MYSTICAL qualities, it was considered a mood enhancer.

Capsaicin is an active component of the chili pepper, which produces a sensation of burning in any tissue with which it comes into contact, giving cayenne pepper it's claim to fame as an aphrodisiac. There are other spices that fit the bill as aphrodisiacs as well, but cayenne pepper ranks the top of the list as the all time 'hot' favorite.

The capsaicin in peppers heats up the body and increases blood flow to all major organs. The brain also releases a feel-good chemical called endorphins. This internal "endorphin rush" combined with the external effects of flushed skin and kissable swollen lips, leads to sexual desire.

Other than its use as an aphrodisiac, cayenne pepper has many other powerful health benefits as well. Due to the high amounts of capsaicin, consuming cayenne pepper causes the blood vessels to dilate which increases energy and speeds up metabolism, in turn causing weight loss.

It has also been shown to regulate high blood pressure, promote healthy liver function and tissue production.

Please note, however, the capsaicin capsules may cause stomach irritation and pain. If you have ulcers or heartburn you should talk to your doctor or health care provider before using capsaicin. People who are allergic to latex, bananas, kiwi, chestnuts, and avocado may also have an allergy to cayenne.

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