Mothers

by Paul Birkhead Rowan Public Library
     
    Mother’s Day falls on May 8th this year.  It has been just over one hundred years since President Woodrow Wilson signed a proclamation ordering its annual observance on the second Sunday in May.  It is a good day to honor our living mothers by treating them to a nice meal or giving them a special gift.  It can also serve as a day to reflect on the mothers who are no longer with us.  Rowan Public Library can help you celebrate the mother figures in your life.

    Since President Wilson gets the credit for making Mother’s Day “official,” it often makes people wonder about his mother and what type of relationship he had with her.  The library has several biographies on Woodrow Wilson and you can read all about his childhood.  In Wilson, by A. Scott Berg, Woodrow’s mother Jessie was described as a reserved, but loving woman.  In numerous ways, she made a profound impact on the life of the future President, and Woodrow later confessed he grew up as a “laughed-at mamma’s boy.”

    If hearing the affect Woodrow Wilson’s mother had on his character intrigues you, check out First Mothers: The Women Who Shaped the Presidents by Bonnie Angelo.  An older book, First Mothers examines the mother-son dynamic of most of America’s 20th-century presidents.  From Franklin Delano Roosevelt to Bill Clinton, future presidents often had tough childhoods (poverty, death, loneliness) and strained relationships with their fathers.  However, most also shared a strong bond with their mothers and remained devoted sons the rest of their lives.  These women, though not perfect by any means, each had a profound impact on their sons and influenced the course of American history in the process.

    Several other books in the library’s collection highlight the lives of mothers in more current settings.  The Rainbow Comes and Goes is a brand new book written by Anderson Cooper and his mother Gloria Vanderbilt.  After suffering a near-fatal illness around her 91st birthday, Gloria and Anderson began a year-long mission to get to know each other better.  While both are well-known celebrities and have very interesting stories to tell, their relationship and a desire to leave nothing unasked or unsaid can apply to any one of us with mothers still living.

    What I Told My Daughter is a collection of essays edited by Nina Tassler and published to provide advice and encouragement to the upcoming generation of women.  Tassler’s book has more than fifty contributors including many influential women leaders from a variety of fields including politics, sports, and entertainment.

    Optimism for Autism is an inspiring book by local author Susan King.  A few years after her son Patrick was born, testing determined that he had autism. Immediately, fear and worries about the future filled Susan’s mind.  However, thanks to a loving husband and a deep faith in God, Susan’s journey of sorrow turned to one of happiness as she embraced God’s plan for their lives.  The struggles the King family faced over the years were mighty, but Susan tells a powerful tale which is still unfolding to this day.  Patrick currently attends Pfeiffer University and is an accomplished swimmer.  He helped his mother with the book by adding sections written from his perspective.

    Mothers have a special role in this world.  While we may take them for granted sometimes, we should always use this day to honor or remember them.  Stop by Rowan Public Library soon and read all about mothers.