Brothers and Mothers

My brother, whom I love dearly, is about as smart as they come and he is warm and loving soul who is always educating himself, and sometimes, educating us. And it's always so wonderful to hear from him. The following is an email he sent to us this past weekend:

Hey Family,I hope everyone is doing well... I just wanted to pass along something I just heard about the origins of Mother's Day. Apparently, the holiday we know as being mostly about cards, flowers and brunch actually has its origins in this country as a day for peace. In 1870 Julia Ward Howe, better known as the author of the famous Civil War song Battle Hymn of the Republic, began a movement to have Mother's Day recognized as a national holiday. Her interest in this idea grew from her outrage at the violence and carnage of the Civil War. For several years she convened a gathering of prominent women's rights advocates for the Mother's Peace Day Observance on the second Sunday in June. Though she didn't live to see the adoption of Mother's Day as a national holiday, the day we celebrate tomorrow owes its origins to the efforts of this revolutionary woman, and many others like her.

Here are the words of Julia Ward Howe's Mother's Day Proclamation of 1870 that convey the spirit of her intent or Mother's Day:

Arise then...women of this day! Arise, all women who have hearts!Whether your baptism be of water or of tears! Say firmly:"We will not have questions answered by irrelevant agencies,Our husbands will not come to us, reeking with carnage, For caresses and applause. Our sons shall not be taken from us to unlearn All that we have been able to teach them of charity, mercy and patience.We, the women of one country,Will be too tender of those of another country To allow our sons to be trained to injure theirs."From the bosom of a devastated Earth a voice goes up with Our own. It says: "Disarm! Disarm!The sword of murder is not the balance of justice."Blood does not wipe our dishonor,Nor violence indicate possession.As men have often forsaken the plough and the anvil at the summons of war, Let women now leave all that may be left of homeFor a great and earnest day of counsel. Let them meet first, as women, to bewail and commemorate the dead. Let them solemnly take counsel with each other as to the means Whereby the great human family can live in peace...Each bearing after his own time the sacred impress, not of Caesar, But of God -In the name of womanhood and humanity, I earnestly ask
That a general congress of women without limit of nationality, May be appointed and held at someplace deemed most convenientAnd at the earliest period consistent with its objects,
To promote the alliance of the different nationalities,The amicable settlement of international questions,The great and general interests of peace.

I wonder if this is going to wind up on a Hallmark card anytime soon? For a short reading of this proclamation by stars like Vanessa Williams, Felicity Hoffman, and Alfre Woodard, check out this link: http://youtube.com/watch?v=LtzAwo1HU2w

Jeffrey