At the center of the magazine, a page is entirely dedicated to this celebration. Here is the full text:
Abroad, and specifically in America, the initiative has arisen to dedicate one day a year to mothers.
Among the many celebrations, we can be certain that this one will never go away, and that nothing that will be said, written or done in honor of the mother will be neither undeserved nor excessive. To define the summit of the feeling of affection, of self-sacrifice, of strength in sacrifice, the adjective “maternal” is used: no altruistic impulse has the tenacity and strength of that which comes from the mother’s heart.
In the exhibitionist tendency of current life, everything is flaunted: and the prize goes to those who best know how to present themselves in the limelight. The work, the fervor, the struggle of the mother on behalf of her creatures remains obscure: and it is work, struggle, incessant overcoming, which shows nothing, asks nothing, not even recognition, and very often escapes even the attention of others even more immediate. It is a natural law, in human-to-human relationships, that everyone believes they give more than they receive, or at least everyone is always aware of how much they give: only the mother escapes this condition, since she gives unconsciously: and perhaps this is the characteristic more salient than maternal love: the mother’s ego merges with that of her creatures.
The celebratory day – which falls on the second Sunday of May – is intended to be a a call to reflection for the very large ranks of carefree youth who daily receives the blessing of this affection, benefits from it far and wide, lives and grows facilitated by this light, and only too late, generally, does she recognize its full value.
Mazzini, speaking of the family, finds expressions that seem very happy to us to describe maternal affection: «… it has within itself an element of good rare to find elsewhere, duration… it spreads around it slowly, unnoticed; and lasting, like the ivy around the plant: it follows you from hour to hour: it silently identifies itself with your life.
You often do not discern it, since it is part of you: but when you lose it you feel as if something intimate, something necessary for living were missing: … the supreme comfort, the calm, the calm of the wave of the lake, the calm of the sleep of trust, of the sleep that the child sleeps on the mother’s breast”; «…a reflection on the individual of Providence who watches over humanity.
And the mother’s affection is truly the matrix of men’s lives. Childhood, adolescence, studies, difficulties, struggle, adaptation: stage by stage it took place because it was facilitated (sometimes exclusively made possible) by the mother, who worked in the most varied ways to help her his creature along the way, both materially and morally: and among other means with that intuition, with that psychological knowledge of one’s child that only the mother possesses (because understanding, which is the most productive means for living and for making people live , and is so rare among men, it is inherent, with exceptions, in this sacred bond: the understanding that sees the less good and provides, sees the better and uses it to spur and overcome). Then men, having become adults, and in turn caught up in the mechanism of existence, overlook what they have received, even though filial veneration remains in each of them throughout their lives.
It is precisely similar observations that inspired the Americans to take this initiative: which we hope will become international.
On May 9th, all the children will try to show their gratitude to their mother.
On this day they will make efforts to overcome their laziness, their liveliness, their indiscipline; they will try to be materially useful at home, they will do their utmost to save their mother a bit of trouble: it is understood that this small attempt – although implemented with practical intent – has symbolic value: since to repay their debt to their mother, the children, that day, they should transform: however the sacrifice of one day will make you understand a little the sacrifices that the mother makes every day: to her then, the diligence of the children will appear a hundred times more appreciable, because what comes from her daughters is always unexpected, and amplified by optimistic maternal tenderness.
If this appeal comes to grown men, who unfortunately the practical demands of daily life do not allow frequent relationships with their mothers, do not allow them to dwell on considerations and emotional expansions, well: let them take inspiration from this circumstance, and find a moment to make themselves present to their old lady: the old men are silent, they remain spectators of other people’s lives: but in mothers the affection is always vibrant and passionate and they must not be denied the ineffable joy of feeling remembered, considered and loved.
