Mother's Day reflections

from the general to the specific and somewhere in between

While it is celebrated most prominently in the United States, Mother’s Day is recognized in many countries around the world, including Argentina, Mexico, Denmark, India, Austria, the United Kingdom, and Finland. The celebration of Mother’s Day has different origins and meanings depending on where you are in the world.

The idea of a “Mother’s Day” has been dated back to the Ancient Greeks and Romans who celebrated several different festivals to honor their mother goddesses. In the United States, Mother’s Day began in the early 20th century when Anna Jarvis, a West Virginia woman, began a campaign inspired by the death of her own mother, Ann Jarvis, in 1905. In 1914, President Woodrow Wilson declared the first official Mother’s Day and it became an official national holiday.

Mother's Day is bittersweet for those who didn't have a loving mother. It can be difficult to celebrate a day that reminds you of what you didn't have. The holiday can bring up feelings of abandonment, neglect, and pa…