Why should mothers be remembered and praised just one day a year?

Motherhood, one of the most difficult and neverending roles in the lifetime of a woman, will soon be momentarily remembered and acknowledged.

Started in 1908 by Anna Jarvis after her mother’s death, it became a national holiday by a proclamation of President Woodrow Wilson in 1919. Jarvis never married or had children, but she felt strongly that American holidays were biased toward male achievements. She gained financial backing from a savvy

Philadelphia department store owner, John Wanamaker — although much later, she denounced and fought against the increasing commercialization of the holiday.

Some things have become much easier for today’s mothers. Disposable diapers, foldable carriages that double as high chairs or car seats, day care — all unknown in times past.

But we have not, as yet, unlike many countries in Europe, adopted employer-paid family leave or government-sponsored day care so that mothers (many, like

Kim, still paying off college loans) may continue their careers without incurring additional debt.

It was estimated that billions have been spent for Mother’s Day each year, and while it is lovely that a mother’s hard work and devotion are appreciated, another way to celebrate is to help mothers elsewhere. A few of the organizations to keep in mind in remembrance mothers are: Women to Women International, CARE, Save the Children, Women Deliver and the Worldwide Fistula Fund.