Mother’s Day Springs Forward

Wikipedia tells us that Mother’s Day is a big deal. Over 100 countries honor moms in May, creating 122 million phone calls and $23.6 billion spent on Mother’s Day gifts in 2017. 
The National Retail Foundation said consumers spent $5 billion on jewelry, $4.2 billion on outings, $2.5 billion on gift cards, $2.1 billion on clothing, $2 billion on consumer electronics, and $1.9 billion on personal services. Mother’s Day is the most popular restaurant day of the year.
Just whose idea was this? In 1908, Ann Reeves Jarvis organized “Mothers’ Friendship Day,” a peaceful movement where mothers convened with former Union and Confederate soldiers.
Julia Ward Howe wrote the “Mother’s Day Proclamation,” in hopes of uniting mothers to stand for world peace. After her mom died, daughter Jarvis held the first Mother’s Day celebration with financial backing from Philadelphia retail owner John Wanamaker. It was so successful that President Woodrow Wilson issued a presidential proclamation establishing the first national Mother’s Day in 1914. Thank you, Wilson! 
I am shamelessly sentimental on Mother’s Day! With the advent of granddaughters, Ava and Sara, my longstanding passion for gardens was satiated by repeated visits to Longwood Gardens and Chanticleer in Wayne, Pa. As soon as the girls could toddle, they learned to giggle as they rolled down hills of greenest grass.
Husband John and I treated our brood to Mother’s Day at Longwood Gardens. Each of our senses thanked us.
Imagine two young girls prancing on a high stone wall, long hair hugging their shoulders in the springtime sun. Imagine them over pink and red blossoms, sniffing the fragrant air before them, as pretty as the blossoms surrounding them.
Imagine them, ages five and eight, darting up the hilly path deep into the budding, green woods to the side of the flower gardens, then running top speed down the hill, huge smiles advertising delight. Of course, they must climb into the tree house by scampering up three flights of stairs until they stand on the balcony in the middle of the robust branches sporting budding green leaves.
And lunch? What better than a picnic with fresh food? Picture a sunny table spread with Mother’s Day gifts that crowd the food trays filled with mushroom soup, chicken fingers, and huge chocolate chip cookies. Unopened envelopes of cards lay awaiting their owners.
This mélange of delights is why Mother’s Day has supplanted Thanksgiving as tops on my family holiday list.
Recently, I asked the girls what they wanted to give my daughter Juliette for Mother’s Day. They reminded me that daddy takes them to refill a pot of flowers that sit on the back deck. I smiled, remembering Juliette learning to love flowers at age 8 by hating to deadhead pink petunias in our bayfront garden on Corinthian Drive in Stone Harbor.
Ava, Sara, and I are together weekly at their house, so I asked if they wanted to make up a story for mom as a gift from us. They did indeed!
Giggles and colored pencils appeared as they created their story about Mother’s Day at Longwood Gardens. Edited and framed, it becomes Juliette’s Mother’s Day gift, to be presented at the luncheon picnic. 
An excerpt of their story indicates their mood:
When the Galbraiths finally got to Longwood Gardens, everybody was saying ‘Hi’ and using the restroom before walking about to see the gorgeous flowers. Children were leaping with joy and excitement! The sweet smell of tulips and daisies was strong. 
Juliette and Grammy felt appreciated for their challenging work.  After all, they raise quite wonderful daughters, Ava and Sara.
The flowers were quite interesting to the ladies. The men enjoyed the day but not as much as the girls. So many bright colors and pretty scents.  The whole place was a garden!
The family walked along the path while Ava and Sara were walking on tall bricks. When they got to the beautiful bench, all the ladies took pictures in front of it.
“I’m hungry,” Sara said. So we all walked up to the cafeteria.  Grammy got a table on the grass for us all and we spread presents wrapped in bright-colored tissue paper on top of the table. Cards tucked into envelopes appeared and Mommy and Grammy opened their presents. Ava and Sara drew and colored pictures for Mommy, who was very proud of her girls.”
And my gifts? John will make me new planters for daylilies at our cottage. But I ask you… what could be more delightful than having our grown kids, Michael, Juliette, Scott, and Cadi nearby with granddaughters Ava and Sara? And I answer, “The best place to be is together.”
To consider: How do you celebrate those you love most? Is it the best part of your life? Why or why not?
To explore: Longwood Gardens and Chanticleer in Wayne, Pa. Each is a delight for the senses.
Do you want to know how to live your best life? Please contact drjudithcoche@gmail.com for a pamphlet at no cost. Find her in Stone Harbor and Rittenhouse Square at www.cochecenter.com.