Mae in Portuguese, maman in French, ma in Afrikaans, umma in Korean, the word is a name and a cry, life giving and life sustaining: mom.
Motherâs Day in the United States is marked by brunches and tulip bouquets, but the annual holiday emblems are a pittance for motherhood.
The American day emerged from a Civil War observance of mothering and peace across Union and Confederate lines, with the first Motherâs Friendship Day in 1868 leading to state Motherâs Day traditions in the following century.
President Woodrow Wilson in 1914 officially declared the second Sunday in May to be Motherâs Day nationwide, âas a public expression of love and reverence for the mothers of our country.â