on mother's day

Today, I'm wondering how a holiday, which had a humble beginning of offering ones mother a white carnation, blossomed into the holiday it is today (complete with my purchasing 1/3 of an $80 Pandora charm -- just the charm cost $80!). In fact the first Mother's Day was started as a protest against the carnage of the Civil War -- uh, how did we end up where we are??

I don't really like Mother's Day, and I'm not certain I have met many people who do. It seems to me like all the moms I know actually complain about Mother's Day. This day has turned into an expectation of mind reading, and its eventual failure. A mom is nearly always offended when the question of what they really want is asked, and so a poor child or husband ends up guessing based on previous complaints (like the blender is broken), buys the blender, only to have the mom be completely upset because appliances are not for gifts. If a mother just stated what she really wanted, then none of the parties would be upset.

I think the root of the issue is that I don't particularly get along with my mother. So standing in the aisle of Target looking through greeting cards is torture. Mom, you make the world a better place. Mom, you have taught me so much, I want to be like you. Mom, you're like sunshine on a rainy day. Not quite in my world.

And I suppose that for one day, I could put aside all of my bitterness and remember the good times, Mother's Day might be a little better. My mom hasn't always been the way she is today, but it's hard to remember that. (And don't worry, I'm not totally terrible, I did send her a text, went in on a gift for her, and we're doing dinner later this week since she had to work today).

I was so sick of people writing on Facebook to post a picture of you and your mother all week long, or to wish everyone a Happy Mother's Day, and a few particular annoying posts about making sure to which your Mother a happy Mother's day because so-and-so's mother isn't around anymore, and you should be lucky to have yours. Talk about guilt.

So, I'll be happy when the day is past and gone. And I have celebrated with a can of sliced peaches and a frozen pizza.

Happy Day!