Mother’s Day

Even the milk company is cashing in on Mother's Day

Honduras is turning red. There’s nothing bloody or political about it, it’s Mother’s Day Frenzy. Stores exhibit special displays overloaded with kitchen supplies, frolic but trivial thingies, and artificial roses in all colours and sizes, red being the predominant colour. The local warehouse stays open late, hoping to catch last minute buyers with deafening music and a 30% discount. The park is filled with women selling flowers while evangelists are preparing an on-stage and very loud tribute to mothers and Jesus. Kids haven’t received any classes the last few days, being too busy making Mother’s Day gifts, memorizing Mother’s day poems, dancing Mother’s Day dances and singing Mother’s Day songs. Restaurants have special offers for Mamá and there’s not a single business in town that hasn’t paid the cable company to put a cheesy ad on TV, wishing Mamá a Felíz Día de la Madre.

Expectations are high, tomorrow is the day.

Kids will happily give their handmade flower vase or foam picture frame to Mamá, before starting to whine for breakfast. Husbands will take Mamá out for lunch or dinner and will feel proud and good about themselves for the rest of the year, being such considerate and sensitive husbands.

On Monday morning, everything is back to normal, except for some withering roses in hand painted flower vases.

I think every Sunday should me Mother’s Day in Honduras. Maybe without the loud music and tacky presents, but a weekly break fore Mamá from all her duties and responsibilities, yes.

If any one deserves it, it’s the Honduran Mother.

I think Mothers rock all over the planet, but I happen to live in Honduras and I know for a fact that this country wouldn’t be what it is without the mothers. Women know very well that Honduras is an unambiguously matriarchal society, even if that’s something men don’t seem to realize or simply ignore. Seriously, all of Honduras’ main problems (corruption, violence narcotrafficking, abuse of power, waste of natural resources): caused by men.

In the meantime, the women, whether abandoned by their husband or not, keep on taking care of their kids, making somehow three meals a day, doing laundry and cleaning the house, often with a fulltime job on the side. If tomorrow mysteriously all women would disappear in thin air, this country would fall on its butt and would never be able to stand up again. However, if all men would disappear… Now, that would be interesting!

So, here’s to all you strong, beautiful, terrific Honduran mothers. Have a great day tomorrow! You women make the world go round!

Oh, and now we’re at it…. Can you please teach your kids not to throw trash on the street? And can you raise your sons to be just a tiny bit less macho???

Thanks.