An Ode to Mothers
SUMMER OF 1977, ODE TO MY MOTHER M.A.C | 2022, ACRYLIC, MAPS AND GLASS BEADS ON CANVAS, 198.1 X 198.1 X 6.35 CM
A Day Set Apart for the Women Who Raised Us
Mother’s Day has always held deep meaning for me. While I believe we should cherish and admire our mothers and motherly figures every day, there’s something special about setting aside a dedicated moment to truly celebrate them.
Mothers are the pillars of our communities—the quiet force behind so much of what makes the world rotate. Today, I want to keep this space filled with light. There is much to be said about the challenges women and mothers have faced, and I will save those reflections for tomorrow. But today, this is an ode to them.
An ode to their strength.
Their resilience.
Their unwavering dedication—to their children, their families, and their communities.
May we continue to spread love and give these women the honor they so deeply deserve.
To My Mother: The Woman Who Made Me
Growing up—and even to this day—I’ve had the privilege of witnessing my mother’s selflessness and the way she gave my brother and me her all. Her strength is the kind that could move mountains, felt simply through her presence. There’s a stillness and power about her that grounds everything around her.
From a young age, she instilled confidence and resilience in me. She taught me the value of self-love, patience, and perseverance—not through words alone, but by living them daily. I learned how to love myself by watching how she loved us. I learned how to be gentle and firm, how to set boundaries and still be warm. And through all of life’s trials and tribulations, she has always been by my side. No matter where I am in the world, I know she’s with me, cheering me on every step of the way.
She’s been my best friend, teacher, coach, assistant, therapist, role model—and so much more. I’ve called her at every hour. I’ve leaned on her when I didn’t even have the words for what I was feeling. I spent the first 18 years of my life learning from her face to face, but what’s just as beautiful is that, as she watched me grow, I had the chance to watch her grow as well. That part is often unspoken—the fact that mothers, too, are becoming. I watched her evolve, pivot, and rise. Whatever she set her mind to, she not only accomplished it—she exceeded it. With grace. With grit. With vision.
So many times I found myself wondering, How does she do it?! And to this day, I still don’t have an answer. Maybe mothers have a magic that isn’t meant to be explained, only experienced. But what I do know is—she always gets it done. She doesn’t fold. She doesn’t flinch. She just… shows up.
I know I’m not alone. I’m sure many would say the same about their very own mothers or maternal figures—and to me, that’s what makes them timeless. There’s a shared, sacred bond in our stories. We express the same awe, love, and gratitude for our mothers, and in doing so, it’s as if they’re all connected—as if they are one.
From Tribute to Tradition: The Origins of Mother’s Day
Before Mother’s Day was officially recognized as a national holiday, many communities across the African diaspora—and around the world—had long established their own traditions for honoring the role of mothers. Across cultures, motherhood has always been revered, celebrated, and woven into the spiritual and communal fabric of life.
Countries such as Canada, Australia, India, China, Japan, the Philippines, and South Africa all observe Mother’s Day on the second Sunday of May. However, Indigenous peoples of the Americas had been paying homage to mothers long before European documentation. Rather than limiting appreciation to a single day, many Indigenous tribes held ongoing ceremonies that honored women and their essential role in life. The heartbeat—one of the first sounds a child hears in the womb—was considered sacred. In some tribes, the drum was believed to have been given to the people by a woman, symbolizing the heartbeat of life itself. The drumbeat, then, became both a spiritual and cultural echo of the mother’s presence.
While celebrations of motherhood have ancient roots across the globe, the American version of Mother’s Day was formalized by Anna Jarvis in the early 20th century. After the death of her own mother in 1905, Jarvis dedicated herself to creating a holiday to honor the sacrifices of mothers for their children. She organized the first official Mother’s Day celebration in 1908 at a church in Grafton, West Virginia. In 1914, President Woodrow Wilson signed a proclamation establishing Mother’s Day as a national holiday, to be observed on the second Sunday of May.
Interestingly, while Anna Jarvis initially envisioned Mother’s Day as a personal and intimate occasion, she later became disillusioned with its growing commercialization and actively opposed how it evolved.
For You, Maman—In Every Lifetime
As we celebrate mothers around the world, I want to take a moment to thank the women who have shaped the very people who keep this world turning. But most importantly, I want to thank my beautiful mother.
She has taught me everything I know, and because of her, I am the woman I am today. Her lessons, her love, and her wisdom are deeply woven into who I am—and I will carry them with me for the rest of my life. I’m endlessly grateful for her presence, her strength, and the way she continues to pour into me.
Thank you, Mom, for never dimming my light, but instead adding more wood and fuel to my fire. You are my biggest cheerleader, and I will always admire you for that. In any lifetime, in any dimension, and in any form I take, I’d choose you to be by my side.
This one is for you, Mum.
Je t’aime, Maman.
May you all have a great and joyous day! Thank you all for reading.
Until next time.
With much love,
Ryan Cosbert