In Her Light
Tracing the Heartline of Mother's Day
The first shelter, the quiet strength, the lasting welcome.
She is home, even before we know what that means.
The quiet strength behind our every step.
She holds the door open, always.
The light we return to, the voice that steadies us.
Not just the giver of life, but the one who makes it whole.
A Day Born of Devotion
Long before pastel bouquets, Mother’s Day began as a daughter’s devotion. In 1908, Anna Jarvis held a ceremony in West Virginia to honor her late mother, Ann Reeves Jarvis, a compassionate community leader who cared for wounded soldiers and organized women’s health groups. Anna’s gesture was tender and personal, shaped by grief and admiration.
By 1914, the United States officially declared the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day. But Anna soon resisted what it became, a commercialized ritual of prepackaged affection - her original vision was simpler, personal notes, time together, sincere remembrance.
She Matters In Every Language
Although Mother’s Day originated as an American tradition, cultures across the globe have celebrated their mothers in elaborate and symbolic ways.
In Japan, children gift their mothers red carnations as a symbol of strength and gratitude. Singing and feasting mark the Antrosht festival in Ethiopia. Mexico fills with music, where mariachis serenade maternal figures at dawn.
In Thailand, it is tied to the Queen Mother’s birthday and includes acts of public kindness. What unites them all is the same pulse of love; offered, not owed.
Our Table, Our Traditions
In our own family, every Mother’s Day meant dim sum, our mother’s favorite. Growing up in Hong Kong, those Sunday meals became tradition; laughter rising over bamboo baskets, chopsticks dancing between generations, joy steaming from every dish.
It wasn’t just her favorite, dim sum became ours too. A ritual etched forever in our hearts. And later on, my girls made high tea our tradition. Some years it would be in the garden, others at favorite places, always a surprise, always a delight.
For my mother-in-law, a gift of antiquing, a playful hunt for gems that lit up her eyes every time. These moments, simple, shared, sincere, are what stay.
And in that Love is the Spirit of Hospitality
Mothers are often the first to teach us what it means to welcome, not just into a home, but into a sense of self. She prepares the place, notices what others need before they ask, and creates warmth with presence, not performance.
Hospitality, at its highest, is not about perfection. Its about care.
A Gift That Reflects Her Spark
To honor her is to echo her values. This year, consider a gift that lives on. A donation to a charity she supports. A small scholarship in her name. To the mother who shapes beauty with her hands, a pottery class where clay becomes quiet poetry. She who sees the world in color might delight in a painting session, brushing dreams onto canvas.
If she savors the taste of travel, a culinary escape to Italy turns every bite into a passport. When her soul leans towards stories, gift her a day among the museum halls where art and history whisper.
Let the Day Feel Like Her
Let this be the kind of day that feels like her; strong, luminous, and quietly unforgettable.
May we carry her light not just today, but in the way we gather, give, and remember.
Happy Mother’s Day to all you women who are daily bringing light into this world!
Heartwarming read!
So many beautiful memories of our Mom!
Lovely article , missing mummy 🥰