The above photo was taken about a week before Ohli was born. The other two were taken moments after his birth by Kelly. I wanted to share these because this is my first Mother's Day and as a result I want to honor the person that has made me a mother. I also was curious about the history of Mother's Day. After doing some research what I found was that Mother's Day isn't just about honoring our mothers, it's about honoring our children. All of our children. Our so called enemies children. And aren't we all children? Aren't we all parents, caretakers in some way. Don't we all have a duty to one another as humans? We are all brothers and sisters, right? My heart breaks when I think of mothers all over the world who watch their children die and suffer from disease, famine & war. I will pray for those Mothers on Sunday. I will remember their children as I honor my own.
Here's the original Mother's Day Proclamation by Julia Ward Howe. You're welcome for the history lesson. I knew there was more to this holiday than brunch and flowers.
Peace.
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Julia Ward Howe, author of the “Battle Hymn of the Republic”, proposed the idea of Mother’s Day for Peace over a century ago. Howe’s Mother’s Day Proclamation in 1870 was a call for disarmament and for women to come together to seek diplomatic ways to settle disagreements amongst nations.
Arise then, women of this day! Arise all women who have hearts,
whether our baptism be that of water or of fears!
Say firmly: "We will not have great questions decided by
irrelevant agencies. Our husbands shall not come to us, reeking
with carnage, for caresses and applause. Our sons shall not be
taken from us to unlearn all that we have been able to teach
them of charity, mercy and patience.
We women of one country will be too tender of those of another
country to allow our sons to be trained to injure theirs. From
the bosom of the devastated earth a voice goes up with our own.
It says, "Disarm, Disarm! The sword of murder is not the balance
of justice."
Blood does not wipe our dishonor nor violence indicate possession.
As men have often forsaken the plow and the anvil at the summons
of war, let women now leave all that may be left of home for a
great and earnest day of counsel. Let them meet first, as women,
to bewail and commemorate the dead.
Let them then solemnly take counsel with each other as to the
means whereby the great human family can live in peace, each
bearing after their own time the sacred impress, not of Caesar,
but of God.
In the name of womanhood and of humanity, I earnestly ask that a
general congress of women without limit of nationality may be
appointed and held at some place deemed most convenient and at
the earliest period consistent with its objects, to promote the
alliance of the different nationalities, the amicable settlement
of international questions, the great and general interests of
peace.
Julia Ward Howe
Boston
1870
