MOTHER’S DAY: FROM SACRED HONOUR TO GLOBAL INDUSTRY Long before greeting cards and flower shops existed, many ancient cultures honoured the mother archetype. In Ancient Greece there were festivals dedicated to Rhea, the mother of the gods. In Rome, celebrations honoured Cybele, the great mother deity. Across civilizations, motherhood symbolized creation, protection, and life itself. But the modern version of Mother’s Day is surprisingly recent. The holiday in the United States was popularized in 1908 by Anna Jarvis, who wanted a day for people to personally honour their mothers. Ironically, Jarvis later became one of the biggest critics of the holiday she helped create. Why? Because companies rapidly turned it into a commercial event. Florists, greeting card companies, jewellery brands, restaurants, and advertisers saw an opportunity. Today Mother’s Day is estimated to generate tens of billions in spending globally every year. That doesn’t mean the sentiment is wrong. Moth...