Delano Herald Journal

Serving the communities of Delano, Loretto, Montrose, MN, and the surrounding area

Jenni Sebora Column – 05/18/09



During the 1600s, on the fourth day of Lent, England celebrated a day called “Mothering Sunday.” This day honored the mothers of England.

In 1907, Ana Jarvis worked hard to establish a Mother’s Day nationally. She persuaded her church in Philadelphia to celebrate Mother’s Day on the second Sunday of May, the anniversary of her mother’s death. By the following year, Mother’s Day was celebrated throughout the City of Philadelphia.

In 1914, President Woodrow Wilson declared that Mother’s Day should be a national holiday celebrated on the second Sunday in May.

Whatever the start, we know that mothers are to be honored. Although Mother’s Day was celebrated more than a week ago, it is never too late, and in fact, each day we should recognize the importance of mothers.

Abraham Lincoln proclaimed that he would not be who he is without his mother. “All that I am and all that I hope to be, I owe to my angel mother.”

A mother’s love for her child runs deep and wide and its extent cannot be truly described in words.

Marion C. Garretty said, “Mother love is the fuel that enables a normal human being to do the impossible.” That is what mothers wish, want, and bestow upon their children.

“A father may turn his back on his child, brothers and sisters may become inveterate enemies, husbands may desert their wives, wives their husbands. But a mother’s love endures through all,” said Washington Irving.

As a mother myself, I feel those words ring true. When your children are born and they enter the world, your focus is no longer yourself, but this little being that belongs to you, to care for, to love, and to set free to spread their wings with the life lessons you have modeled and taught them.

A mother’s love is unselfish. A mother may certainly have other very important roles as a wife and as an individual. These roles are extremely important and are necessary to fulfill the role as mother in a loving and happy way.

In fact, experts say that the best gift we can give our children is to have a positive relationship with our spouses, the co-parent. How we treat the other parent makes an impact on our children.

It is also important as a mother to also remember our own individuality and have healthy outlets because as rewarding as parenting is, it is also the most difficult job we will ever have. It can be stressful, physically- and emotionally-draining.

When our children are hurting, whether physically or emotionally, we feel their pain and carry that pain. That is something mothers do because of our deep connection with our children. Our love for our children and our empathy for them runs deep into our inner core.

The loss of a child would be the greatest devastation as a mother. There are mothers (and fathers) who have endured this pain and loss. I am unsure how a parent gets through such a devastating loss.

As the Star Tribune noted in a recent publication regarding Mother’s Day, we cannot forget the mothers whose children are starving or just living from day-to-day, trying to find food for the day to feed the family – mothers in Third World countries whose daily goal is to find food and keep their children alive.

As mothers everywhere around the world, there is a universal truth – that mothers love their children beyond measure.

My own mother taught me this, and now that she is gone from this earthly world, her love remains with me and is carried on to my own children and hopefully, to their children.

That is the ultimate goal of motherhood. That our love and our lessons will allow our children to take root in our love, grow up and live a life of happiness, productivity, and love. That is the wish of a mother.

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