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3 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories 10 things to know for Friday Ashland publisher offers prize for environmental book Orthodox Church raising funds to build new home 10 things to know for Thursday What does Uncle Foods weekly dinner mean to you? 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Editor's Notes: This, that and the other Mochas, Midrash and Mysteries: Balancing the gift and the task Chris Honoré: A wider context rarely discussed Chris Honore Council Corner Editor's Notes Jeffrey Gillespie Herb Rothschild Revels Latest Stories Peter Rowan, Big Sandy & His Fly-Rite Boys at Rootsfest Movie listings: May 8-14 Dancing People Company presents 'Salon Series' 5 picks for live entertainment Prepare for lots of dialogue in 'Clouds of Sils Maria' Theater Ticket availability Ticket Availability Ticket Availability 'Arsenic and Old Lace' has killer charm Some OSF crew members seek to unionize Music The Farr Side: Mumford & Sons’ latest is full-on rock Interview: Country singer Suzy Bogguss enjoying life on the road The Farr Side: CMAs do it right, in many ways Interview: Offspring plays hits new and old on tour The Farr Side: Slow disappearance of physical music Visual Art Movies Movie review: ‘Hot Pursuit’ is a hot mess George Miller returns to his ‘Mad Max’ roots Tom Hardy adapts to life as Mad Max Movie listings: May 8-14 Prepare for lots of dialogue in 'Clouds of Sils Maria' Food and Drink Taqueria Picaro takes over Tabu space Owner of Mix and Amuse to bring Flip burger joint to Ashland Cruelest Month: Poetry Blog Lifestyle Latest Stories Looking Up: Once in a while a star blows up Health Watch: Easy tips to drink more water throughout the day Orthodox Church raising funds to build new home Antionette Kerr: Mother’s Day founder challenged commercialism Breathe easier with whole-house air purification Aging Happens Inner Peace Column Inner Peace Blog Mocha Musings Rogues: Tales from the Valley Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obituaries Photos Videos Blogs Business Business Services NEWS NOW Our View: Forest work is a bargain ... Ashland publisher offers prize for environmental book ... Ashland Calendar, Friday, May 8 ... Our View: Forest work is a bargain ... Ashland publisher offers prize for environmental book ... Ashland Calendar, Friday, May 8 ... Antionette Kerr: Mother's Day founder challenged commercialism By Antionette Kerr More Content Now DailyTidings.com By Antionette Kerr More Content Now Posted May. 7, 2015 @ 8:09 am By Antionette Kerr More Content Now Posted May. 7, 2015 @ 8:09 am » Social News p bs:newslist StartDate="20121121" EndDate="p bs:datecalc Months="3"" DateSort="1" UseObjects="1" ObjectClass="81" Taxonomywords="2324,665" ExactTaxonomyMatch="1" Image="1" Count="4" --> It is a little-known fact that while Americans will collectively spend nearly $20 billion this year, Anna Jarvis, the founder of Mother’s Day, would disapprove of our chocolate-covered festivities. The modern Mother’s Day holiday began with a memorial to Jarvis’ mother, Ann Reeves Jarvis, in 1905. Anna Jarvis is responsible for the campaign to make Mother’s Day a recognized holiday after the passing of her mother, an activist for peace who cared for wounded soldiers on both sides of Civil War battlefields. Her mother was active in the Episcopal Church and created Mother’s Day Work Clubs to address health and sanitary issues. These clubs raised money for medicine, hired women to work for families in which mothers suffered from tuberculosis and inspected bottled milk and food. Young Anna Jarvis’ inspiration came from a prayer her mother shared after a Sunday school lesson. “I hope and pray that someone, sometime, will found a memorial mother’s day commemorating her for the matchless service she renders to humanity in every field of life. She is entitled to it.” Jarvis set out to honor her own mother by continuing her work. She stated that a mother was “the person who has done more for you than anyone in the world.” In 1914, Woodrow Wilson signed the proclamation declaring the second Sunday in May as a national holiday to honor mothers. Although Jarvis was successful in founding Mother’s Day, she soon became resentful of the commercialization and was angry that companies began profiting from the holiday. Jarvis became so embittered by what she saw as exploitation that she tried to rescind the Mother’s Day holiday. Jarvis organized boycotts and threatened lawsuits to try to stop the commercialization of her beloved Mother’s Day. She once threw her lunch on the floor when she found out that a department store in Philadelphia was offering a Mother’s Day special. The activist went as far as to protest at a candy makers’ convention in the City of Brotherly Love in 1923. Two years later, she protested at a meeting of the American War Mothers because they raised money by selling carnations, and Jarvis was reportedly arrested for disturbing the peace. Jarvis seemed to believe people were missing her point and deemed the holiday a failure. She envisioned millions writing personal letters, by hand, and objected when companies started selling Mother’s Day cards. Jarvis despised the notion that people would rather purchase gifts and pre-made cards. “The sending of a wire is not sufficient. Write a letter to your mother. No person is too busy to do this.” Jarvis, who was never a mother, insisted that “any mother would rather have a line of the worst scribble from her son or daughter than any fancy greeting card or telegram.” I tend to favor the views of rebels like Jarvis. As the holiday’s founder, she was right to cling to the concept that Mother’s Day should be about expressing sincere love and gratitude to the nurturing women in our lives. However, I disagree with her efforts to take the holiday away from the rest of the world. Perhaps her mother would not have wanted a fancy meal, flowers or a new dress. But who should narrowly define what represents a genuine expression of affection? My mother seems pleased with the fact I stopped scribbling on handmade cards. I am not the crafty type, and up until college I didn’t have much money for gifts. My odes to her included what I considered creative gestures like flowers (OK, they were weeds) from the backyard and terrible poetry. She never complained about the presents, but I suspect she has grown to appreciate the improvement in quality. More importantly, I offer my experience as a busy daughter who has grown to value Mother’s Day. The holiday serves as reminder for me to block off a segment of time to stop and honor my mother. Like many children, I am guilty of forgetting to say, “Mom, I appreciate all that you’ve done.” Last Mother’s Day, I arrived at Ros’ home and knocked on the door only to find no answer. I was expecting to take her on our annual brunch date and found her lying on the floor of her bedroom. I called 911, and my mom was subsequently rushed to the emergency room. Horror went through my mind as I sat in the ER waiting for the prognosis. My mother had a stroke the evening before the holiday, and things haven’t been the same for her or our family since then. The guilt-ridden part of me often wonders just how long it would have taken me to find time with all my other “obligations” to check in on my mother if it hadn’t been for the holiday. I think about all those who have lost the opportunity to celebrate with their mothers, and it makes me grateful for another chance to share my gratitude. Jarvis did not accept that whether one buys a card or creates one, they are enjoying special moments with moms who can be lost in the blink of an eye. No matter how commercial the holiday has become, it still embodies sentiments of gratitude for what motherhood meant to her and so many. And many believe that “the person who has done more for you than anyone in the world” should have the best expression of their love. From fine chocolates to heartfelt poetry, I wish every woman a happy Mother’s Day. Go ahead and enjoy whatever goodies your loved ones offer to commemorate your matchless service; you deserve it! Antionette Kerr is a syndicated writer and author of “Just Sayin’: Conversations My Mother Would Never Let Me Have at a Southern Dinner Table.” You may email her at [email protected]. By Antionette Kerr More Content Now DailyTidings.com By Antionette Kerr More Content Now Posted May. 7, 2015 @ 8:09 am » Comment or view comments /* $( document ).ready(function() { // Jquery mobile is trying to style the button and leaving a blank gry button on top of a white button $("#viafouracoms .vf-comment-controls li.vf-right").html(' Submit '); });*/ » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with DailyTidings.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Alerts Email alerts RSS feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. 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