Mother's Day

Today is Mother's Day, a day when we celebrate and thank our mothers.  For many mothers out there, this special day has its own special traditions, from breakfast in bed to flowers to visits or phone calls from adult children.  Every family has its own way to celebrate the day.

Celebrations of mothers and motherhood can be traced back to the ancient Greeks and Romans, who held festivals in honor of the mother goddesses Rhea and Cybele, but the clearest modern precedent for Mother's Day is the early Christian festival known as “Mothering Sunday".  The modern Mother's Day began in the United States, at the initiative of Anna Jarvis in the early 20th century.

For people like me, whose mothers have passed away, Mother's Day is a special time to remember our mothers and reflect on their lives and the influence they have had upon the people we are.

My mother, Joy Patricia Green (nee Pummeroy) was born 24 January 1942 in East Brighton, Victoria and died 8 May 2015 in Echuca, Victoria. 

Joy Pummeroy, age 11

A city girl, my mother 'went bush' in her twenties, taking up posts as a governess at outback properties in southern New South Wales, near the town of Wentworth.  This was where she met my father, Peter Green and where my sister and I were born.

My mother's mother, Gladys Daisy Pummeroy (nee Clark) is the only grandparent I can remember, and was another major influence on my life.  She was born 30 June 1906 in Brighton, Victoria where she lived her entire life and died 5 August 1995.

Gladys and Joy Pummeroy, January 1967

While I will not have the opportunity to celebrate Mother's Day with these two wonderful women, I will certainly take some time to reflect upon their lives and the stories they have given me, safely recorded in my family history.