Happy Mother’s Day!

 

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Mother’s Day

Origins

WEBMD.COM

May 8th, 2008

Mother’s Day began 

with the Greeks, 

who worshipped the goddess

Rhea who was the mother 

of Zeus, 

king of gods and ruler 

of Olympus 

(and you think your 

kids are successful).

Beyond the begatting, 

Rhea saved Zeus from being 

eaten by her husband, Cronus 

(as their previous five children 

had been). 

Cronus was worried about 

his children murdering him - 

as he had done to his own 

dear old dad - 

to supplant his 

alpha dog status. 

Rhea cleverly presented him 

with a blanket containing a stone 

instead of little Zeusie, 

which Cronus eagerly devoured.

WEith such a history,

I think we can agree that 

Rhea deserved some maternal 

bragging rights and a holiday 

in her honor.

Mother’s Day did not become 

an official U.S. holiday until 1914, 

largely due to the perseverance 

of Anna Jarvis (1864-1948). 

Herself the mother 

of eleven children 

(four of whom lived 

to adulthood), 

Anna asked the minister at 

her church to give a sermon 

in her mother’s memory 

following her death in 1905. 

He honored Mrs. Jarvis and 

all mothers with a special 

Mother’s Day service.

Anna Jarvis then tirelessly 

wrote to congressmen, 

asking them to set aside 

a day to honor all mothers. 

In 1910, the governor of 

West Virginia proclaimed the 

second Sunday in May as 

Mother’s Day. 

So as not to appear 

unsympathetic to their 

mothers and wives, 

a year later every 

state celebrated it.

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