A resolution for Mother’s Day

The second Sunday of May is celebrated as Mother’s Day in many countries, including India. It is a day to honour our mothers for their love and sacrifice in raising us.

We are all aware of the greatness of our mothers. “All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother,” said Abraham Lincoln.

The late American President had the privilege of having two mothers: a biological one, Nancy Lincoln, who died when Lincoln was only 9 years old, and a stepmother, Sarah Bush Lincoln, after the death of his biological mother. He has gratefully acknowledged the love and support he received from both his mothers, who have played a significant role in shaping Lincoln’s remarkable qualities of nobility, fairness, and charity.

Every mother does her best to care for and nurture her child. From the moment a child is born, a mother selflessly leaves her carefree life and embraces the challenging responsibilities of bringing up the child to the best of her abilities and circumstances.

Through her constant care and unconditional love, she plays a colossal role in the development of the child into an adult. She is nothing short of a guardian angel and the face of an invisible God for the child. Perhaps Rudyard Kipling articulated this truth effectively when he wrote, “God could not be present everywhere; therefore, he made mothers.”

It is then the fundamental duty of every person to honour his mother. Mother’s Day comes to remind us of this fundamental duty.

Sending flowers, giving gifts, taking her for a gourmet meal, or going on picnics are some of the ways in which we have come to honour our mothers on Mother’s Day. Yet, as good and thoughtful as these are, they are
not enough.

We should resolve to care for our mothers throughout their entire lives. Even as the order of the day is to put our mothers in old age homes or simply leave them to fend for themselves in their old age, we should take a stand against such raising practices. May this Mother’s Day inspire us to resolve to care for our mothers always, particularly in their old age.

It may be a challenging resolution
to make. But anything short of
this does not truly honour our
great mothers!