Mothering Sunday

Today I think Mothering Sunday is celebrated in Britain as Mothers' Day. With nothing better to do, I read some news about it through Google News Archives and found this report from Argus (Melbourne, Vic) dated 21 May 1921, at Australian Newspapers Beta

"MOTHERING SUNDAY."

"I am a full-aged man, fast growing old.

and a 'cleric' at that, but I did love my

mother. I do love her. She,died when I

was 12, but she is still with me. . On

Mothering Sunday I always wear violets in

her memory. Is that sentiment? Then

blessed be sentiment."

The above extract is contained in a letter

to the "Kentish Express" by Mr. J. Ed-

ward Harlow, who recently conducted two

Mothering Sunday services, one in Faver-

sham and the other in Canterbury. During

one service two choirboys sang "Home,

Sweet Home." Mr. Harlow explains that

Mothering Sunday is a day in praise of

one's mother. "Two or three generations

ago," he says, "in some parts of England

apprentice sons and daughters returned to

the old roof-tree on Mothering Sunday . . .

The custom declined. Until just before the

war one heard of it only here and there.

I wish from my heart, as one mother's son,

it could be revived. Supposing that on a

given Sunday morning every year all the

mothers found on the breakfast-table, say,

a bunch of violets or a letter from their

children. ... It would make music in a

million mother hearts."

I don't know, we are celebrating Valentine's day with a vengeance, may be Sri Ram Sene should give a leg up to Mothering Sunday? After all, Sri Rama went to forest in obedience to his mother's wishes. So, may be this is a good day to give your mother a letter, or if you feel too embarassed about it, something in violet... It might make music in your mother's heart, who knows?

I can hear you say, who cares...