Happy Mother's Day

Mother's Day has been recognized around the world, in various forms, for a number of years. Julia Ward Howe was the first person to fight for an official Mother's Day celebration in the United States. You may be more familiar with her name as the writer who wrote the words to the Civil War song, The Battle Hymn of the Republic:

"Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord;
He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored;
He hath loosed the fateful lightning of His terrible swift sword;
His truth is marching on.
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! His truth is marching on.

Howe was born in New York City on May 27, 1819. Her family was well respected and wealthy. She was a published poet and abolitionist. She and her husband, Samuel Gridley Howe, co-published the anti-slavery newspaper The Commonwealth. She was active in the peace movement and the women's suffrage movement. In 1870 she penned the Mother's Day Proclamation. In 1872 the Mothers' Peace Day Observance on the second Sunday in June was held and the meetings continued for several years. Her idea was widely accepted, but she was never able to get the day recognized as an official holiday. The Mothers' Peace Day was the beginning of the Mothers' Day holiday in the United States now celebrated in May.

Not all mothers are quite as accomplished, but for each of us, we have but one. I'd like to share just a few thoughts about my Mom on this Mother's Day 2010. She was born in October, shortly after the Red Sox had won the 1918 World Series. She is a native Bostonian who, before 2004, had lived her entire life without seeing the Red Sox ever being crowned World Champs. With the clock ticking, the 2004 Red Sox finally came through, and she now has seen the "Curse of the Bambino" laid to rest.

Her formal education started across the street from 53 Bristol Road at St. Clements where she evidently must have been a good student, as she graduated first in her class. She later attended and graduated from Regis College in Weston, MA. She clearly carried the formula for academic success with her because she graduated second in her class from college with her degree in Chemistry. In the 1940s, that would have been an extremely unusual event I suspect.

She and my father met at a USO dance at the Park Plaza in Boston during WWII. He was an officer in training , and my mother didn't want to meet just any GI Joe. After meeting his parents on the Iowa farm, they married, and went to Longfellow's Wayside Inn (founded by David Howe in 1716) for the reception, just down the street from her old college stomping grounds.

Now, after nearly 70 years of marriage, 8 children, 19 grandchildren, and 1 great grandchild, she can put her feet up on her motorized, reclining chair and wonder where all that time has gone. In fact, I am sure she will be doing just that later on today with the radio tuned to an easy listening channel.

"Howe" has she accomplished all this you ask? First, it required a remarkable determination and the will to succeed. My Mother has those. She met a man who shared her same ideals, vision for success, and recognized the integrity of that "hayseed from Iowa". She married him. She nurtured and cultivated her passion for life, education, and hard work with her family by setting the example. She achieved that. As I see it, she has plenty in common with Julia Ward Howe, and that's "Howe" my mother has put her mark on all those she has touched. Thanks Mom and Happy Mother's Day!