Peace and hope for mothers day

To all of the mothers whose children are fighting in wars - and to mothers whose children are growing up with wars raging around them or with terrorism threatening their safety... Wishes of strength, peace and hope for this Mother's Day...

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."

From the bosom of a devastated Earth a voice goes up with

Our own. It says: "Disarm! Disarm!

The sword of murder is not the balance of justice."

Blood does not wipe our dishonor,

Nor violence indicate possession.

As men have often forsaken the plough and the anvil at the summons of war,

Let women now leave all that may be left of home

For a great and earnest day of counsel.

Let them meet first, as women, to bewail and commemorate the dead.

Let them solemnly take counsel with each other as to the means

Whereby the great human family can live in peace...

Each bearing after his own time the sacred impress, not of Caesar,

But of God -

In the name of womanhood and humanity, I earnestly ask

That a general congress of women without limit of nationality,

May be appointed and held at someplace deemed most convenient

And the earliest period consistent with its objects,

To promote the alliance of the different nationalities,

The amicable settlement of international questions,

The great and general interests of peace.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if on some distant Mother's Day, the wishes of Julia Ward Howe could be fulfilled and the human race could celebrate a day when, all over the world, no mother would have to mourn the death of her child lost in war or terrorist attacks...

To all of the mothers whose children are fighting in wars - and to mothers whose children are growing up with wars raging around them or with terrorism threatening their safety... Wishes of strength, peace and hope for this Mother's Day...

Gift baskets a great way to celebrate easter

Easter is such a special time of year. I can recall fond memories of Easters past when my mother and father would hide brightly colored eggs in the yard and send my sisters and I out to find them. What joy we had running around the yard, looking in every nook and cranny for the eggs we had hand decorated together as a family. As I recall, whoever found the most always received a special gift, usually a dollar or two. That was a lot of money to us kids in those days. After the hunt, we would eat dinner together and then my parents would give each of us an Easter basket.

They were smart to make sure we had dinner first, knowing full well that we would never touch our food if we were given the baskets beforehand. I can still recall the happiness we shared, eating our chocolates, jelly beans, marshmallow candies and other sweet treats. I think I always enjoyed digging through the plastic green "grass" the most. It was like discovering gold to dig through the basket and find one of the last few treats which had fallen to the bottom.

Today, I get just as much enjoyment from watching my children having the same fun I had as a child. It's wonderful to view the next generation enjoying the traditions of the past that still remain so much part of our culture. Today, however, I give Easter gift baskets to my children, my siblings, and close friends every year at this time. They're wonderful for the kids and the adults all appreciate them as well since, like me, they remember the joy of getting an Easter basket. Easter gift baskets are filled with delectable treats that both children and adults can enjoy.

I order enough for my friends and family and my extended family as well since Easter gift baskets can be shipped anywhere. I find that they make a great gift for kids or for the kid in all of us. This year, I may even order one for myself. I may be older, but I still have a sweet tooth!