Friday, May 8, 2009

Mother's Day Abuse




Do you know that Anna Jarvis, the lady who first started the tradition of celebrating the Mother's Day in North America, had to spend all her inheritance money and the rest of her life fighting against the abuse of this holiday? Nine years after the official Mother's Day, commercialization became so rampant that Anna Jarvis herself became a major opponent of what the holiday had become. She was arrested in 1948 for disturbing the peace while protesting for this exploitation and abuse of mother's day celebration.

In the jewelry business 7.8% of the annual revenue in 2008 came from this one day event sale. According to the National Restaurant Industry this the busiest day in the whole year.

Anna was furious and called it laziness when moms were given store bought cards.I verified these information from the wikipedia.

Interviewing ten mothers separately, and informally, I came to this surprising conclusion that nine out of ten did not want to head to the crowded restaurant this day. Rather, they wished that they were treated with some home cooked goodies, or to a picnic, a movie or taken to a theater.

This Mother's Day I miss my Ma very much. I lost her two years ago. As I was thinking of her, something strange happened. As if a small voice within me whispered - who said that she is gone forever?

She is right here in me, my daughter, my baby grand daughter. She is gone but a new baby has come . This is how it happens. The fruit falls , then from the seed another baby plant grows. The basic tree does not vanish! It was strange that I was solaced so easily and became so philosophical.

After that, I took my bead box and created a jewelry . It has all our birthstones of the four generations.

Zoe - amethyst, me- crystal in lieu of diamond, Rinti -ruby and for my mom- sapphire.
The central stone is a cloisonne with designs of a vine. It is wrapped with gold filled wire in a special wire work that is called the divine eye.

My eyes welled up after I finished the piece. I know it was not from eye strain .

Then I mailed it to my daughter.

7 comments:

ruma chakravorty said...

Dearest Bulbul,
My eyes are tearful too after reading your blog. It's a beautiful piece you have created and the beutiful, loving inspiration behind it make it so precious and priceless. You're so blessed to have the talent and creativity to express yourself in such lovely way.
Love you and miss you.
Ruma

Unknown said...

While loved ones are always in our heart, it may be necessary for human minds with all our limitations to have a special day earmarked to be remembering them -Oh! the memories they make... by the way, do you know if they have a Grandma's day (Shh! don't let hallmark know!)?
p.s. I like your style of writing, and using this mode to express your mind and hone your senses ... keep up the good work!

Anindita Basu said...

Thanks to all of you who have landed in my blogland and were generous with your kind words. Please do visit again and let me know that you came. Many of you do not have blogger ID so I had to write here to answer your comments or show you my gratitude. Do come again.Love- Dita.

SharDon Exclusives said...

My Momma passed in 2006 & not a day goes by that I don't miss her little spirit but I too see it in my child & in her children so she is never gone from me, just in different ways. Thank you for your honestly & your lovely protraile of her life...Bless you on this Mothers day & honor your mother by celebrating her LIFE through you...sharon

Antara said...

I got it! It truly is beautiful and the inspiration and thought behind this work makes it a real treasure. I will cherish it and perhaps then even let Zoe wear someday... I also enjoyed learning the history of Mother's Day... not a Hallmark holiday after all. Happy Mother's Day and lots of love.

mou said...

Hi! I read your blog and I liked it.It was great to know about the history of The Mother's Day.Thank-you.

mou said...

Hi!I read your blog and I liked it.Also,knowing about the history of Mother's Day was great.Thank-you.

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