The second Sunday of every month on the US calendar honors motherhood and the sacrifices that every mother has made for their children. Traditionally flowers, cards, and other tokens of appreciation are given as gifts to our mothers on May 8. Commercialization has changed the value of the holiday itself and takes from the ecosystem unnecessarily when I love you and spending time is all that is needed to show appreciation. Another mother we sometimes forget to think about is our earth. Being mindful of how we take care of and what we take from the earth can go a long way with efforts from everyone together.
As a mother myself my perfect day is being able to relax and have fun with my family with the hopes that kids will listen when comes to bedtime. Mother’s Day became an official date on the calendar in 1914 in the US by Anna Jarvis. The ironic history about Anna Jarvis is that years after she achieved her goal of getting her day on the calendar, she would try to abolish her own holiday. It revolted her that the commercialization of her holiday overshadowed the real message of Mother’s Day.
Here are some simple ways to be mindful of what we take from the earth on Mother’s Day:
- Consider gifts with as little paper/art craft packaging if possible.
- That any garbage following the day will be well divided from regular to recycling to ensure what is reusable is used again and the rest is properly disposed of.
- Support your local businesses and eco-friendly companies.
- Run a nice bath with Essential oil or Epson salt with her preferred book.
- Treat your mom to a home cook meal and spend time with her.
- Homemade gifts and/or cards from the heart on recycled paper.
- Make sure you tell her you do love her and appreciate everything she’s doing for you.
The spirit of Mother’s Day is in remembering and appreciating the sacrifices of Motherhood, not the gifts received. It’s easy to get caught up in the hype of finding the perfect gift and card from the store when all that is needed is words and time to show love. Like our Mother Earth just needs our support, caring, respect, and appreciation for how much she gave us to work with and towards a better future for everyone and a healthy planet.
Happy Mother’s Day from Green School Green Future!
Sources:
https://www.history.com/topics/holidays/mothers-day
Blog Image Credit : Dana liana mikah -unsplash
Written By : Dana Sweet Mark
