Special day for mothers

Mother’s Day is celebrated throughout the world on the second Sunday of May as tribute to all mothers. It began in the United States in the early 20th century at the initiative of Anna Jarvis a peace activist who cared for wounded soldiers on both sides of the American Civil War. Anna created Mother’s Day Work Clubs to address public health issues. In 1914, the 28th President of the United States, Woodrow Wilson signed a proclamation designating Mother’s Day, held on the second Sunday in May, as a national holiday to honour mothers. The dictionary explains the word ‘mother’ as one who has given birth. All the pains of childbirth that a mother undergoes is forgotten when she holds the child with immense joy. A mother will go to any length to feed and fend her child. This biological process results in a psychological bond between the mother and child. Attributes of a good mother are –godliness, compassion, patience, thrift, loyalty and the list goes on. As a teacher, a mother is considered as the first teacher of the child in the world. As a servant, she is the very embodiment of love, of sacrifice, or selfless service to her children and of forbearance. As a companion, she is a friend and companion. Motherhood presents us with a model of loyalty and dedication. She is faithful to her husband and children because she is faithful to God. She also reaches out to help those in need. Her inward adorning of character and integrity of heart is what makes her most attractive because inward beauty never fades but becomes more precious with time. The biblical command, to train up a child in the way he or she should go(Prov.22:6)is a call to create a strong foundation of God consciousness-personality that will stand in good stead in times of trouble. To do this, the bible also calls on mothers to be virtuous and to pattern their character after God’s design (Prov.31:1-10). A woman who adopts and raises a child can be as much as any mother or even more. There are many examples in contemporary world-Mother Teresa of Calcutta and several in Nagaland, among which the most well know was late Zaputüo who ran the Kohima Orphanage since the 70s. Ungodliness in contemporary society has created rebelliousness and destroyed family values. Though both fathers and mothers equally share the responsibility of making a home, mothers play a prominent role in the development of spiritual values in the family. It may be loosely explained that a mother who is involved in mothering is a good mother while a mother is not mothering is a bad mother. Besides caring, nurturing and protecting her children, a good mother is an exemplary wife. She brings all the family together. The opposite is true of a bad mother who neglects her responsibility in the upbringing of her children and her husband. Being virtuous also means being wise in being a good mother, wife, housekeeper and handling finances. It is true that a virtuous mother inspires her family to love and honour God. On Mother’s Day, children can consider few ways through which they can honour them. First, honor them with obedience and secondly, show love by deeds and not by the presents.