Some days are annual remembrances of events worth commemorating; some for the wonderful change they brought like Independence Day and Easter Sunday, and some for a horror that we hope to never see again like 9/11 and D-Day.
Then there are the made up holidays like Valentine’s Day, Administrative Professionals Day and yes, even Mother’s Day. Don’t get me wrong – I am sentimental about love, appreciate support staff and love to rake in the loot on Mother’s Day in celebration of the best job I have ever had, and the wonderful women my daughters have become – but today I am torn between the desire to see my kids turn themselves inside out on one particular day of the year, and my aggravation at all of us for letting Hallmark push us around.
And what about all the people that are left out or made to feel diminished when a holiday leaves them out – for not having a Valentine or being a mother? Do any of us really need extra days to feel insecure or inadequate on some level? Or another reason to remember the ones we have loved and lost?
So what to do about it? Refuse to participate? Create new holiday to celebrate everyone, everywhere, doing anything? We all know how that “every kid gets a trophy thing” has backfired, so maybe that is not the solution.
My new mantra – EVERY day is Mother’s Day! And don’t forget my card.
bev's search for grace 