Travel is a common theme in my life -- probably started with the family vacation we took every year when I was young. But in all my travels, I have seen another universal theme, a common symbol of unity, love and Peace.
Mom. She's got the big love. From Ethiopia to Seattle, mothers protect us ? the offspring. When we grow up, we may leave her house to build our own, and her cooking to add more flavors to our palates, but she's still the woman that held us to her breast, nurturing and cooing to us, her most-loved child. She would do anything to protect her child.
Koko is not a mother. I'm fascinated by her. She's a 33-year old lowland gorilla who, since infancy, has been working with Dr. Francine "Penny" Patterson. With her ability to "talk" to Penny using sign language and a vocabulary of more than 900 words, she speaks of having a baby. Often. Achingly. Her motherly gentleness and protective instincts were displayed when she got a kitten as a companion. This 280 pound ape cradles the kitten, stroking it and purring to it while signing "baby, baby" over and over.
Even Koko, childless, mourns the lost opportunity. But she also doesn't have the heartache of lost children due to the nonsense that goes on in the world today -- drugs, murder, mental torment and wars.
If mothers ruled the world, would there ever be another war? Not if my mom ruled? And probably not yours? Disputes would be settled over a cup of tea, and everyone would end up laughing. On The Cat's Cradle (a favorite blog,) I read this story about Julia Ward Howe's first Mother's Day in 1870 called Mother's Peace Day. Julia, author of The Battle Hymn of the Republic, wrote a proclamation which begins with:
Arise then...women of this day!
Arise, all women who have hearts!
Whether your baptism be of water or of tears!
Say firmly:
"We will not have questions answered by irrelevant agencies,
Our husbands will not come to us, reeking with carnage,
For caresses and applause.
Our sons shall not be taken from us to unlearn
All that we have been able to teach them of charity, mercy and patience.
We, the women of one country,
Will be too tender of those of another country
To allow our sons to be trained to injure theirs."
Julia Ward Howe, Mother's Day Proclamation, 1870
Imagine all the mothers of the world stopping their sons, husbands, and fathers. All the mothers of the Israelis, the Palestinians, the Koreans, the Japanese; all the mothers of the the blacks, the whites, the straights, the gays; all the mothers of the Republicans and the Democrats . . . All the mothers saying:
Enough. Enough! Wouldn't you like some tea.
David Perdew
Writer / Photographer / Consultant
http://www.worldwantingpeace.com
http://www.worldwantingpeace.com
http://www.worldwantingpeace.com http://www.worldwantingpeace.com
Q. With the school year just beginning, what can we... Read More
Choosing to leave your child with a caregiver is one... Read More
Having a babysitter take care of your kids is sometimes... Read More
Is there a way to build a robot to help... Read More
Is there a fathering instinct?Celebrated child development expert Erik Erikson... Read More
Today the little red school house is not what it... Read More
Should a parent give a child a tangible reward when... Read More
In elementary school it's pretty straightforward: bringing in cupcakes to... Read More
Here are some tips that I have picked up from... Read More
Parents of hyperactive children know the "Would you please just... Read More
In 1996-97 we were contracted by VAXA International of Tampa,... Read More
Let's face it: raising children can be quite the adventure.... Read More
Diagnosing children and teens with ADHD can be a challenge.... Read More
No matter how old your children are, you have an... Read More
The Greatest Gifts in Life, which are always created for... Read More
Do you live with an ADD / ADHD child? If... Read More
"Do not think that love, in order to be genuine,... Read More
My cousin boasts five names and I confess that when... Read More
1. You reheated the same cup of coffee three times... Read More
Despite serious reductions in funding for arts programs in... Read More
Dear friends here we will charge up our mind with... Read More
Former students would probably attest to the fact that few... Read More
Once the newness has worn off a little, you will... Read More
If you really want to get your children to eat... Read More
Just the other day, I was talking to some other... Read More
insured cleaning company Highland Park ..Parents play a critical role in their child's success. These... Read More
Let's face it: raising children can be quite the adventure.... Read More
I was changing Ford's diaper the other day when he... Read More
If you are a member of a stepfamily, you know... Read More
As a parent, you can learn a lot about your... Read More
Most of the ADHD kids that are seen in a... Read More
It was no contest. Given a choice between a ball... Read More
In school, kids are encouraged to create, draw, color, paint... Read More
It is hard to believe that summer is coming to... Read More
Levels of SafetyBy teaching our children there are different levels... Read More
In the first premise, some films and video tapes which... Read More
Saying no to our children is not always easy or... Read More
Many research studies have shown the overall effectiveness of stimulant... Read More
You have a chore to do around the house, and... Read More
You are at the grocery store with your daughter and... Read More
Q: Our son has been in honors classes all through... Read More
When kids try new things, sometimes it's a 'fit' and... Read More
Past experience with federal education programs predicts that the No... Read More
Age 1: Invite only family members and close friends only... Read More
Teens don't learn responsibility overnight. If you haven't been working... Read More
This past holiday season Canadians spent over $45 billion-with parents... Read More
Memorizing math facts is a necessary part of elementary school.... Read More
Here is a list of ways to convey the message... Read More
An estimated five million scooters will be sold this year... Read More
Q: A parent writes in to ask, "You write a... Read More
Parenting |