Take Christmas, for instance. Even before the holiday, people are in the Christmas mood. They hang up Christmas lights, buy a tree and listen to holiday music. I’m not saying that 30 days before Mother’s Day we hang up lights around our house and put a tree up and listen to "Mother’s" songs, what I’m saying is that we should all be in the Mother’s day spirit for a lot longer than just one day.

Your mother has been there for you ever since you were born. From changing your diaper and dressing you before school to teaching you to drive and sending you off to college. She says "no" when you don’t want to hear it and always forgives you when you make mistakes. She also teaches you how to be independent so that you can stand on your own. But no matter what, even when you are living far away, your mother is always there for you.

Take Jesus for instance. Although no mother wants to see her child suffer, Mary accepted the fact that her son was different, supported him through his unique childhood, and even went to see Jesus die on the cross.

Many people throughout history have been deeply affected by their mother. For example, famous rapper Usher. Even to this day, despite his fame and fortune, he calls himself a "mamma’s boy" and gives all of the credit of his success to his mother.

Look at six-time Tour De France winner, Lance Armstrong. He was raised solely by his mom who continues to influence him to this day.

Have you ever thought about the origin of Mother’s Day? I did a little bit of research, and here’s what I found:

• Mother’s Day celebrations can actually be traced all the way back to the ancient Greeks who held spring celebrations to honor Rhea, the Mother of the Gods.
• In the 1600’s, the early Christians in England designated the 4th Sunday of Lent as Mothering Sunday to celebrate Mary and all mothers. It soon spread throughout Europe. But over time, this tradition slowly ceased
• The tradition was revitalized in a more secular way in the late 1800s by Julia Ward Howe who wrote the words to the Battle Hymn of the Republic. She was so horrified by the destruction of war, that she initiated a Mothers' Peace Day observance in Boston to be celebrated on the second Sunday in June. The purpose was to honor peace, motherhood and womanhood. This only lasted about 10 years but was the true pre-cursor to the Mother’s Day that we celebrate today.
• It was the mother of Anna Jarvis who inspired the holiday that we now celebrate. Anna was a devoted daughter and spent her life caring for her mother. So when she died in 1905, Anna honored her mother’s work of educating other woman, by creating a Mother's Day to honor mothers, living and dead. She hoped Mother's Day would increase respect for parents and strengthen family bonds.
• Finally, in 1914, the 2nd Sunday of May was declared to be Mother’s Day. The first celebration was decorated with white carnations that were distributed to everyone after the service, because that was Anna’s mother’s favorite flower.
• Ironically enough, it only took 9 years for Anna Jarvis to get disillusioned by the commercialism of Mother’s Day and she actually became a strong opponent to the holiday.

Mother’s and their children have a special bond that can never be broken. Even the sixteenth president, Abraham Lincoln, who was raised by both parents said "all that I am or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother".

As crazy as it might sound, you should live every day as if it were Mother’s Day and appreciate all that she does throughout the entire year.

Happy Mother’s Day!

-Brad Cassidy, 5/9/10