By Gina Halverson
Anna Jarvis led the charge for Mother’s Day to become an official U.S. Holiday, which occurred in 1914. It is said Anna Jarvis regretted aiding in Mother’s Day becoming an official U.S. Holiday. She is noted for a large part of her life trying to get it removed from the calendar. She wanted to remove it due to the “commercialization” of the holiday. Anna may have felt like she failed, however, Mother’s Day has encouraged, reminded, and uplifted women who feel like they get lost in the business of life. Something, everyone can agree on, we can get lost in life.
Jenni and her daughter Vee went down to the beach to play in the tide pools. Vee brought with her, her favorite toy, an “egg.” She carried the egg everywhere because she wanted to be its mother. She knew if the first thing the baby saw once it hatched was her, she would be its mommy.
She could not wait for the day to become a “mommy.” She kept the “egg” close and warm at all times. She would put it under her pillow at night and kept it in her pocket at school. Yep, she was on her way to becoming the “mommy” of the year she thought to herself. “I keep my baby “egg” warm and with me and I love it,” she would smile to herself. At night she would stare at it and dream about when her “egg” would hatch. Would it be a baby dragon, a baby fairy, a baby lizard, she didn’t care, she was going to love it and it was going to love her.
On her way home she put her hand in her pocket to check on her “egg” and she gasped, and her heart started pounding. She threw all the treasures she found from the tide pool out of her pocket sobbing and crying. Her mom walked over and knelt to Vee and said, “Vee, you, okay?” Vee in the best 4-year-old voice, sobbed, “my egg is gone, I am the worst mommy every.” “A mommy is supposed to care, love, and not lose their babies, I lost my baby!” as she dropped her head to the ground and her shoulder slumped over tears fell down her face.
Vee’s mommy grabbed her hand, lifted a rock (“egg”) off the ground and said, here is your “egg” little lady. Vee squealed with excitement. Vee’s mommy had been watching her and saw when the “egg” fell out of her pocket, she knew exactly where it was, she was just waiting for Vee to ask for help.
As “mommies” or guardians we all struggle with the idea of failing the ones we love. In other words, we all fall short, that is part of being human. However, another great part of being human is we learn to get up, find strength and move forward. You don’t have to move forward alone. Just like Vee had her mom, we have a savior who is willing to help you get up and I move forward.
Reaching out for help is strength not weakness. Often, we get caught up in thinking we need to do things on our own, we are self-reliant, self-sufficient and can do it on our own. That is not how we are built. We are built for a community, for contact, support, and love.
Isaiah 43:2: “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you.”
Life’s journey is not to be done alone. If you find yourself depressed, slumped over, and crying a lot more than laughing find a community – a church.
Galatians 6:2: “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. “
If you are a mommy or guardian don’t carry the burden alone. Find a church – that is a good place to start.
• Gina Halverson is a Salvation Army major. “Living & Growing” is a weekly column written by different authors and submitted by local clergy and spiritual leaders. It appears every Friday on the Juneau Empire’s Faith page.”
