Mother’s Day or Business’ Day?

It’s now a worldwide tradition, well at least here in Mauritius. Mother’s Day is celebrated on the last Sunday of May every year. Right form the early morning people flock to their mothers’ to wish Happy Mother’s Day. For those whose mothers are resting in peace it’s an occasion to pay a special tribute at the cemetery.

Flowers, fancy presents or anything that would please moms are enough to say “Thank you Mom for having given birth to me. There’s no better mom than you. I’ll ever be grateful to you, my dear mom.” These words full of significance echo in the ears of every mother this day, sincerely, honestly or just in words.

On this auspicious day it’s good if we thought a little about those who don’t have a mom or those who’ve never seen their mom, those who’ve lost their dear mummy, those who are longing to say “Mama” to the one who brought them in this world. They are numerous. Still there are quite a lot of them who despite having a mother are motherless. These are the ones with little heart, those who, rightly or wrongly, have ignored the ones who’ve sacrificed their lives for them. If only this day could bring them back to their dear mummy it would give a whole new meaning to mother’s day.

Then there are those who don’t have anybody to cheer them up, nobody to call them “Ma”,“Mamma”, “Mummy” or “Mom”. They may never have conceived, or they may have lost their kins or they may even have abandoned their children for various reasons, poverty, war, crimes, famine…. For them mother’s day would mean nothing more than a mourning day. May the Almighty be merciful upon them.

But the sad thing about this celebration is that it’s more a day for business people. Since two weeks we are being flooded with commercial adverts on radio, TV, the press and even on bill boards. Fairs have been organized at various places. Shops are offering discounted deals. The official pay day (which is usually two clear days before the end of the month) was advanced from Tuesday 29 to Thursday 24 May. All this to get people into the frenzy of buying for “mother”, or mother-in-law for that purpose, and to show that they (the businesses) care for mothers whoever and wherever they are.

As symbolic as this could be, years ago people greeted their mom with a flower. Not necessarily the case today. People are better off. They resort to material and expensive things. Does your mother require a flower or whatever gift from you to show her that you love her, that you owe her everything that you have? I’m no economist, but it would seem that it’s all a question of supply and demand, with the result that traders and businesses make the best out of this celebration.

Yet there are others for whom every day is a mother’s day. The much deserved love, respect and consideration they bestow on the one without whom they would be naught is all that they do to show how significant is every day they owe to their mom. For them there’s no better day than every day’s a mother’s day; no gift however expensive can ever compensate for a mother’s love and sacrifice.

One Response

  1. beccy May 28, 2007

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