A Mother's Day Tribute

     I would imagine the majority of us know that Sunday is Mother's Day.  But I wonder, also, how many people actually think about what Mother's Day means.
     Wikipedia says that Mother's Day is commonly celebrated in many countries, usually in March, April or May.  It also says, "Celebrations of mothers and motherhood occur throughout the world; many of these can be traced back to ancient festivals....  However, the modern holiday is a US modern invention and it is not related to these celebrations...."
     Well.  Isn't that interesting?  Our holiday is a "modern invention."  Why am I not surprised.
     For many years as Mother's Day approaches, my children prepare and send gifts.  Sometimes flowers or small gifts, sometimes big gifts, sometimes just cards and phone calls.  I stress them, I'm sure, because my birthday is also in May.  That makes me remember my brother, who had a December 9th birthday and my folks always gave him one of his Christmas presents.  I always felt sorry for him.
     For another many years, I've always wondered how I would celebrate Mother's Day with my mother if she were still alive.  And that makes me remember that our church always gave women whose mothers were living a red rose; those whose mothers were not living received a white rose.  I must admit, I hated that white rose.
     This Mother's Day will find all my children living in other states, but we will keep in touch by phone, cards, and letters.  Maybe even small gifts.
     And a dear friend I claim as an adopted son has invited me out to dinner.  A special event.
     But, you know, somewhere during the day I know it will creep into my mind again...what would I be doing with my mother if she were still alive.
     Celebrations in other countries, ancient festivals as compared to our "modern invention," must be all-day celebrations.  At least, that's what I imagine.  What do they do?  I'm sure there's lots of food, prepared by members of the family, arranged in a large place of sharing...a kitchen, a dining room, a large yard.  Mama probably is not allowed to cook, but given the chair of honor, maybe with a soft pillow.  She's probably given a wonderful drink to sip.  How do they decorate?  What songs do they sing?  What gifts do they bring?
     If they are a country that celebrates Mother's Day and are war-torn, how will they be celebrating this year?  Pulling together their small means, hard-to-obtain food, sitting together and glad they are together?  I don't know.  I can't imagine.
     But I know this.  If my mother were still here with me, I don't think I would be able to leave her side.  I would want to hug her, hold her hand, give her little kisses, talk to her, let her tell me about her early life, find out anything I could about how she feels in this day and age.  I would feel so blessed to just be in her presence, just to look at her face, see her smile, hear her voice.
     I hope this Sunday, May 13th, here in the United States, you'll take the time to think about what Mother's Day really means.  And if she's still in your life, pay a special tribute to her.  Make this modern invention of ours something special for her.  Let her know what you think Mother's Day really means.

Did You See Our Aprons?

Remember when I told you the aprons are coming?
Sunday, May 10th, is Mother's Day. In honor of Mother's Day, the staff of the Moultrie-Colquitt County Library decided to "tie one on" and wear their rather-old-timey aprons for three days to honor their mothers...the three days being Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Today several of us have on our special aprons.
Carolyn, who has a Campbell Soup-kind-of-kitchen, is wearing her Campbell Soup apron.
Jinx has on a lime green and white floral apron.
Elois's apron is a wine-colored cobbler's apron.
Several wore bib aprons: Ann's is a ruffled white one; Johnny's has red and white flowers with yellow bees; Aileen's is blue with red geraniums and her name embroidered across the top; and Norma has a red and tan and blue farm scene on hers.
How are you going to honor your mother this weekend?
Don't have any idea yet?
Why not stop by the library and see our aprons. They might give you an idea.
You could check out a book you think she might like to read. Or check out a DVD she'd enjoy watching and watch it with her. Or check out an audio book she might like to listen to as she drives to work or shopping or wherever.
If she doesn't go to the library, bring her in and show her the Genealogy Library, the reading area, the magazines and newspapers to read, the computers; then get her a library card.
Come by the library and see our aprons. Aprons give us all kinds of ideas about our loving mothers and grandmothers.

The Aprons Are Coming

We're looking forward to our May special events. Some we have for the public, but some we have for us as library workers, also.
We found out that May 14th is National Apron Day. So, in honor of Mother's Day, we have decided to play up the aprons.
Many of our kids today don't know what an apron is, but when our grandmothers wore them, it was a multipurpose tool. Just look at what the apron was used for:
** drying children's tears and cleaning out dirty ears,
** carrying eggs or baby chicks,
** wiping a prespiring brow bent over a hot stove,
** carrying wood and kindling, vegetables, or peaches,
** dusting the furniture fast as company drove up the road, and
** waving to the workers in the field when lunch was ready.
Of course, no one ever thought about all the germs that must have been hiding on those aprons, but it seems no little child ever got sick from hiding behind one.
And to tie in with the aprons, our Children's Book Pick of the Month will be Ma Dear's Aprons by Patricia C. McKissack. It's illustrated with beautiful pictures by Floyd Cooper. The story is a tribute to the author's great-grandmother, Leanna Crossley Bowens, who was lovingly called Ma Dear (a short form of mother dear), and the countless other domestic workers of her generation.
On May 5th through 7th, you'll see some of us ladies here at the Moultrie-Colquitt County Library with our aprons on. And while we wear them, we'll be thinking about our mamas and all they did for us, and still do for us.
Then, when Mother's Day comes on Sunday, May 10th, we'll honor them even more with white and red flowers, and share our memories of them with others.