EDITORIAL: Our mothers, our protectresses (05/12/96)

EDITORIAL

Our mothers, our protectresses

God could not be everywhere, therefore he made mothers. - Proverb.

It was in 1907 that Anna Jarvis of Philadelphia proposed that one day be set aside each year to honor mothers. Seven years after Ms. Jarvis's original idea, the U.S. Congress acted and President Woodrow Wilson signed the Congressional resolution into law, recognizing the second Sunday in May as a national holiday. Ms. Jarvis's original idea was that the special day was to include a church service, a letter, a visit and a carnation for mom. Since then, of course, our celebrations have become more and more elaborate and, yes, somewhat institutionalized. But behind them there still is true sentiment. For, where would be without our mothers? Mom is always there for her children - no matter what happens and no matter how old those children are.

The idea of a special holiday for moms spread around the world quickly. But it was only recently, however, that the idea has become accepted and the day celebrated on former Soviet territory. Previously, in Soviet bloc countries the closest thing to Mother's Day was International Women's Day (March 8) - a day marking the solidarity of women worldwide in the struggle for economic, social and political equality. International Women's Day was first adopted as a holiday by the Second International Conference of Socialist Women in Copenhagen in 1910; since 1965 it had been a day off from work in the USSR. (That tradition continues even today in independent Ukraine.)

Our Kyiv bureau reports that in Ukraine today Mother's Day observances are more and more widespread. This celebration's popularity has grown. Now there are special Mother's Day events, like concerts, and mothers enjoy special attention on this day. The popularity of Mother's Day in Ukraine seems to have increased as the role of women in Ukrainian society has become more visible.

Today there are strong independent women's groups like Soldatski Materi (Mothers of Soldiers), as well as the reborn Soyuz Ukrainok (Ukrainian Women's Association) pressing agendas that include protecting their children and safeguarding the Ukrainian culture. And, of course, where there are children of Chornobyl, there are mothers of Chornobyl, like the vocal Mama '86 organization.

Thus, Ukraine's contemporary mothers are beginning to reclaim their rightful place in society. They are the backbone of Ukrainian society and they are assuming roles and positions that are beginning to demonstrate their influence in all aspects of life. They are once again more than just equal. They are seen as the protectresses of the nation, the bearers of traditions - especially those that were long forgotten under the Soviet regime and are now being reborn. Their role, if we dare say so, is becoming more similar to the role of Ukrainian women in the diaspora.

For it is the mothers of the diaspora who ensured that the Ukrainian heritage was kept alive, even though it was physically torn asunder from the native land, who saw to it that this heritage was treated as a national heirloom and passed on from generation to generation. Consider this: would there even be a Ukrainian diaspora if the mothers living outside of Ukraine did not raise their children with the knowledge of and an appreciation for what it means to be Ukrainian? And remember, they did so while taking care of all those mundane things that every mother does - the cooking, the cleaning, helping kids with homework... (the list goes on and on).

But perhaps the main point to be noted here is that every mother does all these things out of love - the kind of love only a mother could give. As we celebrate Mother's Day this year, let us take time to think about all the priceless gifts our mothers have given us, and let us thank God for making mothers. May God bless and keep watch over our mothers for many, many years to come.

Mnohaya Lita, Mamo!

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