Dear Editor:
On May 11, 2003, we celebrate the women who are the foundation of our society and the nurturers of our families; we celebrate Mother’s Day. This holiday is an opportunity to celebrate motherhood and to remember our mothers, whether biological, foster or adoptive. This day gives us an occasion to reflect on the knowledge and wisdom we have gained from our mothers and to honor the role Moms play in our everyday lives.
In the United States, Mother’s Day was first suggested in 1872 by Julia Ward Howe (who wrote the words to the Battle Hymn of the Republic) as a day dedicated to peace. The struggle continued in 1907, when Ana Jarvis of Philadelphia began a campaign to establish the national holiday. Ms. Jarvis persuaded her mother’s church in Grafton, West Virginia, to celebrate Mother’s’s Day on the second anniversary of her mothers’s death, the second Sunday of May. Ms. Jarvis and her supporters began to write to ministers, businessmen and politicians in their quest to establish the observance. By 1911, Mother’s Day was celebrated in almost every state. In 1914, President Woodrow Wilson officially declared Mother’s Day a national holiday to be held each year on the second Sunday of May.
America’s mothers hold a treasured place in our hearts, providing the lessons and care that have enabled generations of children to embrace the opportunities given to them. They embody the compassion, devotion and energy that define our national character, and their daily efforts anchor our country’s commitment to the fundamental values of respect and tolerance. Mothers impart both strength that enables us to face our challenges and love that provides comfort and sustains us. I am proud to salute and recognize the mothers of this great state and the immeasurable contributions they have given to citizens throughout.
Sincerely,
Elba Perez-Cinciarelli
Assemblywoman, 31st District
Jersey City