Like most of you, I love my mother. Even though she has been gone six years now, not a day goes by that I don't think about her, talk to her, and remember all the wonderful things she did for me. I do not begrudge others who still have Mom, though it is difficult sometimes to see women with their sons, or men in the Hallmark aisle looking at cards for Mother. I wish I could still be looking for one of those cards too.
So yes, motherhood more than deserves recognition, but Mother's Day itself is a problem for me because it has morphed into something of a retail juggernaut, akin to Halloween, Christmas, and Valentine's Day as a marketing miasma that sucks the joy out of celebrating all things Mom. It is also hard when you have lost your mother to walk around and see the "Mother's Day" advertisements splashed all over the place, to have to hear all the ads on the radio, and see them on Internet and TV.
Of course, there is also the difficult spot for men who are married and have wives who are mothers (or their daughters, sisters, and so on). The genius of marketing Mother's Day is that we are almost all required to buy something, take someone out to eat, or to a Broadway show, and so on. Yes, my inner Scrooge is boiling and thinking, "Mother's Day is a poor excuse to pick a man's pocket every second Sunday of May." But then I have also grumbled about Valentine's Day to no avail because, no matter how solid my arguments may be, in the end gifts are expected and are a prerequisite to marital peace and harmony.
Article comments
1 - Jim Vivanco
Yes, moms are great! And even though we know they weren't/aren't perfect, they still love us.
2 - Artie D'Alessio
Beautiful, Vic. I now share your feelings as this is my first Mother's Day without Mom. I also know that we were both amazing sons who did everything we could for our Moms as they did for us. We will miss them always.
3 - Victor Lana
Yes, Artie, this is true. Hang in there! I am sure that you and your Dad got strength from one another today.