PlottingPrincesses

Honoring Mothers Around the World

Liese Sherwood-Fabre

While living in Mexico, I stopped at a store one morning on the way to work. At the check-out counter, the clerk asked me if I were a mother and then wished me a happy Mother’s Day when I told her I was. Taken aback, I thanked her and went on to the embassy. Sharing the incident with a colleague, I realized how the celebration differed from that in the US. In Mexico and some other Latin American countries, the date for celebrating motherhood doesn’t change. It is always May 10 and can fall on any day of the week—unlike in the US where it is always on a Sunday. Outside of church, the chance of non-family members in the US acknowledging your role as a mother is much lower.

When we moved to Russia, I learned about International Women’s Day—celebrated on March 8. This is Mother’s Day and Valentine’s Day all rolled into one. In our office, the men took up a collection and gave all the women flowers. My husband’s company lined up all the women, and the department heads congratulated each woman individually. Outside of work, restaurants were crowded with patrons and flower stalls sold out.

Regardless of the country, almost all recognize and honor the importance of mothers and women to the family and society, and although awkward at first, I’m now appreciative of the support those outside my family have shown.

So to mothers everywhere—whether you celebrate on May 10, March 8, May 12, or some other date—I wish you a happy day and thank you for all you do for your families!

What about you? When or how will you honor the mothers in your life?

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