Being a mother is a lifetime career with responsibilities 365 days of the year, 24 hours a day for at least 18 years, and that’s only if you’re a mother of one. Then the love, care, support and concern continue everyday after they leave the nest. This job not only takes time, considerable attention and lots of energy, but it also requires your entire heart, your full mind, all your emotions, eyes in the back of your head, the ability to read between the lines and an intuition that would rival Nostradamus. So we respect that this is no easy task, and that’s why we want to take a moment and really say thank you to our mothers and to every compassionate, caring and supportive mom out there who has done or is doing their best to raise up the next generation. This Mother’s Day we hope that each one of you is showered in the love and gratitude that you deserve, and we want to share a few ideas for all of you still searching for the best way to show your mother how thankful you really are!
In true Terra Origin style, we will start at the root, for we believe that to truly understand something and reach the desired outcome you must go to the source. If we really want to heal a body, prevent a disease or surprise our mom, we should know exactly what it is we’re doing and why. Motherhood was always a revered path in life, and for thousands of years ancient cultures ideologized the ‘Great Mother.’ She had many names and was considered the mother of all, but the idea to make a national day to honor our actual mothers came a bit later.
During the American Civil War, a woman named Ann Reeves Jarvis worked as a peace activist and care giver to the wounded on both sides. During her work she started the Mother’s Day Work Clubs to bring attention to issues in public health. When she passed away, her daughter, Anna Jarvis, became determined to honor her mother’s work and this idea grew into a desire for everyone to honor their mother.
Ann passed away in 1905, and this is when Anna’s work began. After three years of campaigning to make Mother’s Day a recognized holiday, in 1908, Anna held a memorial service at St Andrew's Methodist Church in Grafton, West Virginia to publicly recognize her mother. This is the same year that Congress denied her petition, but she did not quit. With determination and persistence, likely inherited from her mother, Anna managed to convince the individual states to each observe the holiday by 1911. As some made it official, it garnered enough attention for President Woodrow Wilson to sign a proclamation in 1914 stating that Mother’s Day would be a national holiday held on the second Sunday of May.
This next bit of history is what inspired us this year. By the 1920s, this special day had swept through cards, candy companies and florists. Anna was determined to not let the day she worked so hard to get recognized turn into a commercialized holiday without sentiment. She believed that gifts should come from our hearts, so she began to boycott large companies who didn’t leave room for something genuine. She argued that mothers should be shown personalized love and gratitude. This was not a battle that Anna fully won, but her sentiment left an impression, and we would like to follow through.
Mother’s Day should not be a last-minute dash to the supermarket for a carnation and empty platitude, but we would prefer you do that over doing nothing! Luckily, we are here to give you some great ideas with plenty of time to implement them. In our modern society, gifts made from glue and crêpe paper are left in our kindergarten years, so buying something may be your better option. This doesn’t mean you give a hollow gesture. Get your mother something that takes thought, effort and attention. Show her that you really considered all the ways she cared for you and found something to reflect that love back to her.
What does her daily life look like? Is she stressed, suffer from illness or age, short on time?
The Stressed Mom
How can you destress your mom? How about a deep tissue massage, a facial, a mani/pedi appointment or a weekend B&B?
Wake her up with a fresh made breakfast that has all her favorites! Offer to do her daily chores for a day, two or maybe all week.
If her stress is chronic, consider herbal adaptogens like Ashwagandha, Astragalus root or Rhodiola found in Healthy Inner Balance. Perhaps stock up on a wildcrafted herbal tea blend for stress and anxiety with soothing combinations of holy basil, chamomile, lemon balm or lavender. This would be a very thoughtful gift alongside a lovely tea pot or new tea cup.
If she struggles sleeping or has high levels of anxiety, opt for gentle herbs like passion flower, valerian and hops found in Healthy Sleep supplements. This along with a sound machine for sleeping or a subscription to a meditation app might help her rest easier.
The Aging Mom
We all get a little older every day and sometimes we need a little support. Help her feel young again by returning to one of her favorite places or planning a youthful activity. Does she love dancing? Sign her up for a weekly class. Perhaps summer days were spent at the beach. Take her to the sea shore and have a picnic by the waves.
If she is struggling with signs of aging, fill her cabinets with collagen and bone broth. This doesn’t have to be difficult or disgusting. Choose from the many flavors of Collagen with Probiotics, Collagen with Bone Broth or for the mother who needs energy and cognitive support Collagen with MCT powder. Whip her up a smoothie bowl with fresh berries or blend it in the mix for a stack of her favorite pancakes. Help her age gracefully and with support.
The Out of Time Mom
The busy mom may be the most common dilemma of motherhood as she wears many hats for her many jobs. Find ways to make her life a little easier. Plant based protein powders take the pressure out of packing a snack for her day and give her a boost as she’s running around.
How about a homemade book of IOUs to be used when she just doesn’t have the time or energy for one more thing in her day.
Or get a subscription for grocery delivery each week, premade meals each month or a weekly house cleaner.
Take a good look at what your mother does each and every day. Remember what she says when sharing how she feels or what she needs. This year let your Mother’s Day gift be something that really shows how grateful you are and tells her that she is loved.
