Moving the apostrophe in MOTHERS’ DAY!

Greetings from Washington D.C. on Day #10 of my whirlwind US book tour.  What an exciting trip it’s been, topped off by meeting Katie Couric this morning while taping an interview for Washington Business Report. I’ve wanted to meet her for a long time so it was the universe conspiring for me! (So love when that happens!)

But that’s not what this post is about. It’s about moving the apostrophe in Mother’s day… to MOTHERS’ DAY… for all mothers… not just your own!

Yesterday I spoke at the UN Foundation, sharing why we must to continually challenge our assumptions about what’s possible and be willing to put our ego on the line for something more important.  It was quite the honor. The invitation developed after getting to know Kathy Calvin, President and CEO of the UN Foundation, whom I interviewed back in 2011 while researching Stop Playing Safe. During our conversations, she shared with me  some of the initiatives the UN Foundation works on to promote a better and more just world. While all of them are very worthy causes, those supporting women’s rights and empowerment always strike the strongest chord with me.

Since Mother’s Day is just days away, I hope you don’t mind my inviting you to get on board with supporting those mothers in this world who know little of the joy we’ve come to associate with Mother’s Day. Indeed, there are millions of women for whom simply becoming pregnant is fraught with danger, and many more who struggle to be the mother they want to be for their child whilst facing such daunting obstacles as of lack of water, hygiene, money, equality and opportunity.  Likewise, there are many others who find themselves married off and having children at far too young an age.

So as you go about getting your mother a token of gratitude, think about also about how you can help support the millions of equally deserving mothers (as well as their daughters) in those parts of the world who’ll never get to experience the joy we’ve come to associate with Mother’s Day.

http://www.unfoundation.org/what-we-do/issues/women-and-population/

As Nicholas Kristof, author of Half the Sky wrote in his New York Times column, it’s time to “think about moving the apostrophe so that it becomes not just Mother’s Day, honoring a single mother, but Mothers’ Day – an occasion to try to help other mothers around the globe as well.”

Of course this Mother’s Day I will be 10,000 odd miles away from my four gorgeous kids and from my own loving mum.  While I’m sad to miss spending the day with them, I know lavish hugs will await my return home next week from the US.

However you spend this Sunday, I wish you a happy Mothers’ Day!