MOTHER is the sweetest word in the world. There is no sweeter and purer word than the word ‘mother’ in any constitution of the world. The word ‘mother’ is very short. But its greatness and scope are infinite.
Our mother is our closest relative in this world. The mother is the person in whose shadow a child spends its life from birth to death. Synonyms of mother cannot be counted. Even the great thinkers of the world say that the most pronounced word in the world is called ‘mother’.
Regardless of the date, World Mother’s Day is celebrated on the second Sunday of May every year to honour the mothers of the world. The purpose of Mother’s Day is to remind everyone that there is no one else in this world who can truly be true to ourselves except your mother. This day is for showing respect and love to mothers.
In poetic expression: ‘My mother’s sweet smile falls on the face of the moon; I remember my mother; I remember my mother’. Who does not remember the mother? S(h)e who has also remembers, and s(h)e who does not also remembers mother. Such is the relationship between mother and child. ‘Mother’ in just one word evokes a unique example of love, compassion, respect, and sacrifice.
Mother is the safe haven of every child in the world. A mother’s lifetime labour can never be repaid for anything. Whether there should be a special day for mothers can be debated. But on a special day, mothers can be loved a little more.
A review of the history behind Mother’s Day celebrations reveals that Mother’s Day started in 1908. Earlier, Anna Jarvis, a schoolteacher in Philadelphia, United States, was shocked by the family isolation there and thought of creating awareness by celebrating a special day for mothers.
Anna Jarvis died on May 9, 1905, before she could implement that idea. After her death, daughter Anna M Jarvis began working to fulfil her mother’s last wishes. With friends, in 1908, at the church where her mother worshipped in Philadelphia, she started Mother’s Day with an event for all mothers. In 1914, the United States officially declared the second Sunday of May as a public holiday dedicated to mothers.
Mother’s Day is celebrated in more than 37 countries around the world. The second Sunday of May is observed in at least 27 countries, including Bangladesh, Australia, Barbados, the Bahamas, Canada, Colombia, the Czech Republic, Germany, Ireland, Sri Lanka, India, Singapore, and New Zealand. In addition, Mother’s Day is celebrated on the second Sunday of February in Norway, Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Serbia, and other countries on March 8. Mother’s Day is celebrated on March 21 in Middle Eastern countries. Besides, Mother’s Day is celebrated in some countries on other days in May, June, August, October, and November.
White carnation flowers are marked as gifts on Mother’s Day. According to the survey, more people call their mother, buy flowers, and give gifts on this day than any other day of the year.ÌýMy mother is still alive. A mother living on earth means that the wheel of fortune is always in motion. I therefore consider myself extremely fortunate. Many of my friends lost their mothers at this age. So despite their best wishes, there is no way to celebrate this day for mother. One of my friends said recently, ‘Friend, I remember my mother’s words and memories every day.’ Every day, when he leaves the house, he says to the picture of his mother hanging on the wall, ‘How are you, mother?’ He cries loudly. He understands the pain of losing a mother who does not have one!
But if we look at our current social system, we will see how neglected our mothers are! How many sons, daughters, and daughters-in-law are seen neglecting their mothers? The parents who taught us to walk by holding our fingers, taught us to talk, and gave food to our mouths, when those parents become dependent on their children in old age, the children born in their hands are sending the parents to the ‘old age home’, forgetting about their childhood.
One may use the example of western social values and systems. But the social system is different abroad, and the customs are also different. Social security is also much higher in western countries. Even in Germany, it is normal for elderly parents to go to old age homes or pay their own expenses. They also get government allowances for this, commensurate with their career earnings. But in our country, the social and economic context for ageing parents is different. We address the soil of the country as a mother; we rest our heads at her feet. We feel proud of our country. Yet we do not value our parents, particularly our mother. The cycle of life begins at the moment of birth. Then comes childhood, adolescence, youth, adulthood, old age, and finally the inevitable death. This is the constant truth for everyone. The old age home is not the last shelter of any mother’s life — this is the expectation. So let’s respect mothers and keep away from neglect and disrespect. We can celebrate every day as ‘Mother’s Day’ as long as our mothers are alive and celebrate their lives when they are not with us.
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Emran Emon is a researcher, journalist and columnist.