Mother's Day: A Day Dedicated to Peace

As you hustle about to remember your mother this Mother's Day, take a moment to remember that this holiday is not an invention of greeting card makers, restaurateurs, or even chocolatiers.

While it was celebrated for different reasons in other parts of the world, Julia Ward Howe began its practice here in the U.S. for mothers to speak out against war and to demand an end to them and a pursuit of peace.

Tell a mother you love. And if she's interested, tell her why she should speak out, too. If she scoffs that Howe must have been a wild-eyed liberal with no concept of the realities of war and life, tell that mother that Howe wrote the lyrics to the Battle Hymn of the Republic.

Thank you, Julia. And many thanks to the mothers out there who use the day the way Julia intended.

Happy Mother's Day and peace!