Mother’s Day
孟郊: 慈母手中線，遊子身上衣。臨行密密縫，意恐遲遲歸。誰言寸草心，報得三春暉。
Meng Jiao:
Needle and thread held in mother’s fingers, Sewing a garment for her son the traveler.
She keeps stitching without hinder, Worrying he may return late and wander.
His filial piety is thin as a grass blade, Can’t repay her love of spring sun’s rays.
Anna Jarvis, a Philadelphia schoolteacher, spent a long time taking care of her sick mother who dedicated a lifetime to improve living conditions in her community, and to reunite families after the Civil War through what she designated as “Mothers Friendship Day.” Her mother passed away in 1905. Anna determined to establish Mother’s Day to honor mothers, saying “Mother’s Day is in honor of the best Mother who ever lived — the Mother of your heart.”
As a consequence of Anna’s painstaking efforts, the first Mother’s Day was observed at Andrew’s Methodist Church in Grafton, West Virginia on Sunday, May 10, 1908. President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed the second Sunday in May as National Mother’s Day on May 9, 1914, hence Mother’s Day became an official national holiday. Eventually, other countries worldwide followed suit; and it has become International Mother’s Day. People in China enthusiastically embrace Mother’s Day, because it goes in line with the country’s traditional ethics — filial piety (孝道, 百善孝為先) and respecting the elderly (敬老, 老吾老以及人之老).
Mother is the first language instructor for her child. Mother also teaches a child the way to nurture and love; to be empathic and sympathetic to his fellow human beings. She is the first teacher responsible for instilling moral values, piety and virtue into her child’s mind. George Washington: “All I am I owe to my mother. I attribute all my success in life to the moral, intellectual and physical education I received from her.” 我所有的一切都歸功於我的母親。我一生中所有的成就都歸功於我從她那兒得到的德、智、體的教育。
Mother is a symbol of unconditional love, care, commitment, sacrifice and service; she is most dedicated and altruistic. Mother is the first nurse to tend to her child’s illness. A mother reassures and soothes her child’s fears. She watches over her child and treasures him. A mother is forgiving for any mistakes or blunders committed by her child. Honoré de Balzac: “The heart of a mother is a deep abyss at the bottom of which you will always find forgiveness.” 母親的心是一個深淵，在它的最深處你總會得到寬恕。
A mother’s compassionate love is made of strongest devotion, sacrifice and pain; it is ceaseless, boundless and enduring. Oliver Wendell Holmes: “Youth fades; love droops; the leaves of friendship fall. A mother’s secret hope outlives them all.” 青春會逝去; 愛情會枯萎; 友誼的綠葉也會凋零。 而一個母親內心的希望比它們都要長久。She puts her family needs above all. A mother’s job is most challenging; it is a full time job. She spends her life in caring, nurturing, and loving her children. She is always there for her children. No matter how old her children are, she is always willing to help them in any way she can. 老母一百歲，常念八十兒。
Throughout history, there are many incidents portraying mothers’ love and sacrifices in the upbringing; they also instilled moral value to their offspring. For instance, the mother of Mencius 孟子 resolutely relocated their home three times (孟母三遷) to assure that her son grew up in a neighborhood that appreciate and respected scholarly teachings. Yue Fei’s岳飛 mother tattooed the phrase ‘盡忠報國 serve the country with utmost loyalty’ on his back. Andrew Jackson: “The memory of my mother and her teachings were, after all, the only capital I had to start life with, and on that capital I have made my way.” 對母親的記憶和她的教誨是我人生起步的惟一資本，並奠定了我的人生之路。
Mother’s Day is a day dedicated to honor all the mothers. In fact, Mother’s Day should be the most significant day of our lives, because we would not be in this world if not for our mothers. John Abbott: “Mothers have as powerful an influence over the welfare of future generations, as all other causes combined.”
王冕: 燦燦萱草花，羅生北堂下。南風吹其心，搖搖為誰吐？慈母倚門情，遊子行路苦。甘旨日以疏，音問日以阻。舉頭望雲林，愧聽慧鳥語。
Dr. Lau, his mother, wife Peggy (photo courtesy of Dr. Lau)
About the author:
Dr. Patrick Lau was born in Hong Kong and immigrated to the U.S. after high school. He retired from the VA Northern Indiana Heath Care System where he served as Chief Radiologist and moved to Florida with his wife in 2011. He was an active member & contributor of IACA and ICMA while in Indiana. Dr. Lau is also a scholar of art and literature and a prolific writer, he has been a dedicated columnist for Indy Asian American Times since 2010.