Now don't think I'm taking umbrage at all those well-meaning good wishes, but Mother's Day is another one of those heavily marketed Hallmark holidays that I just don't buy into. I certainly do believe in honouring one's mother, but I think it should consist of the same common courtesy and respect that motivates one all year long, and not be reserved for one glorious hurrah a year.
This aversion to all the fuss and feathers may have something to do with the fact that my 'love language' (cleverly hidden in quotation marks so you won't sneer at me if you don't buy into the Five Love Language philosophy either) doesn't lean toward the giving of gifts, and certainly doesn't go anywhere remotely near the giving of overpriced, mass-produced, unoriginal cards and flowers. If I liked expensive, trite, generic cards for my birthday, then I'd probably enjoy getting them for Mother's Day, too.
I don't know why everyone pretends to think it's such a nice treat for husband and children to take Momma out to eat for Mother's Day. Most Americans eat out a lot anyway, so why should it be any big deal? And anyone can spend money - eating out requires no forethought, no sacrifice, no effort. The real treat would be to fix Mother Dear a meal at home, and clean up afterwards.
Finally, I have no earthly idea why so many blessed people - whom I am most emphatically NOT the mother of - wished me a Happy Mother's Day on Sunday. Isn't that something you say to your mother?
There, I've got that off my mind, and can rest easy until next month, when I'll have to get on my soapbox again and explain why I am not spending any money on Father's Day.
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3 comments:
While we always took time throughout the year and probably pretty much every day to tell our mom that we loved her we still celebrated Mother's Day. It wasn't a day that we surprised her by saying we loved her -- it was a day that we celebrated her being mom just like on her birthday we celebrated her birthday.
I guess to some in the world it's an excuse to honor mom when they normally don't. But for me and family -- this year being my first official day -- it was a day that got to be almost like a birthday. I got to pick what we'd do or eat not because it was what was on the menu, but because it was what I wanted. It was rather fun. And I was reminded that while being a mother means a lot of work 24/7/365.5, but it is worth it in the long term. And it's fun to get a little "fun" time to celebrate all the hard work. :)
Well, I always figure you can wish anybody a happy any day. Happy Thursday! Happy Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich Day! Happy Mother's Day! (Even if you are a 50-year-old bachelor, no need to be miserable.)
DOB's birthday usually falls within a week of Mother's Day, and so our custom is to do something for both of us. Sort of a mini half-year anniversary.
My brother called my mom: "Hey, I heard this is the day that everybody calls your mom, so I'm doing what everybody else does." "You sentimental fool," replied my mother.
She told me this about 6:00 in the evening, when I finally decided (as I do every year) that even though there's no point to Mother's Day because I talk to my mom every week, I'd call anyway. I missed my sister's call by about fifteen minutes.
Mom doesn't really care about Mother's Day, but she doesn't mind the calls from kids. As for me, I liked the cards the kids made for me, I liked the lunch Darren cooked for me, and once again I absolutely forbade Darren from buying me anything because I am not his mother.
-- SJ
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