Mothers Day on the Net is dedicated to the holiday.

The Holiday Spot lets you send moms screensavers, wallpapers, poems, greetings, and more.

Wikipedia’s article documents several holidays throughout the world celebrating motherhood.

Mothers Day Central is a one-stop shop for the holiday, its international scope, and much more.

What we celebrate today as Mothers Day began among the festivals honoring the titan Rhea, mother of the ancient Greek gods. Centuries later in England, early Christians dedicated the fourth Sunday of Lent in their liturgical calendar to honor Mary, the mother of Christ. Subsequently, another Christian community expanded the holy day to include mothers everywhere, dubbing it Mothering Sunday. Today, people the world over celebrate what has come to be known simply as Mothers Day. Each country has its own set of traditions and customs, by which they honor mothers with tribute and recognition. The idea of dedicating a day to mothers is a timeless one that crosses lines of language, nation, and religion.

Despite what I might think of my Mom at times, she has chosen, over and over again, to put aside her own needs to provide the love and support I needed. She sacrificed much so that she could see her children grow into adults. She deferred pursuing her own interests because she was watching me pursue my own. Both my parents worked part time shifts (in not-so-nice places) in addition to their full-time jobs, just so they could provide for us kids. Mom’s unconditional love was her gift to me, and I’m going to thank her for it today.

If your mom is alive today, today is an opportunity to connect with her. Prepare her favorite meal or take her out to her favorite restaurant. Get a simple greeting card and put down in words how you feel about her. Pick some flowers and put them in a vase for her home. Make her feel, even for just one day, that she is the most important woman in the world. If you can’t be there in person, even a simple phone call will be appreciated. And if your mom has passed away, surely you could find another mother who needs affirmation, whose children won’t be seeing her today.

So many mothers are raising their kids alone today, and I can’t imagine how they manage to do it. It has to be the toughest assignment anyone could receive. Those moms need support, too. Think about your circle of friends and the single mothers among them. Are their kids too young to know how to honor their moms today? Maybe you could help those families celebrate in a creative way what makes mothers feel special. Single moms are doing the job of two parents all by themselves, making them doubly worthy of praise.

How about you? How are you celebrating Mothers Day this year? Post a comment, or drop me a line and share your story.