In Celebration of Mothers

Today, May 10, is Mother's Day in Mexico; tomorrow, May 11, the United States will celebrate Mother's Day. Regardless of when or where we celebrate, though, we should all be thankful for our mothers. Here's a quote by Washington Irving that sums up my feelings:

A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine desert us; when trouble thickens around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts.

Unfortunately, the majority of fiction depends on removing mothers from the picture in order to generate drama; the few that get to live are often cruel (think evil stepmother) or barely existent (like Sarabi of The Lion King). But there are a few exceptions. Here's a list of great Mom stories for this holiday weekend.

BraveThis Pixar film's entire focus is on the relationship between a mother and her daughter, the good and the bad. It's a tale of transformation, as both women learn just how much they care about each other. I'd say more, but film critic Steven Greydanus has already written a beautiful recommendation that will whet your appetite. Queen Elinor, the mother of the story, is a great character, and beautifully brought to life by the always talented Emma Thompson. The following Mother's Day tribute from Pixar sums up the beauty of her relationship with Princess Merida, and all mothers and daughters.

The IncrediblesYes, this film is also by Pixar, and yes, it's mostly about Mr. Incredible, but there are few women in recent years more captivating than his partner. All mothers are superheroes; Helen Parr just gets to flaunt that side a little more than others as she manages her family and fights crime. If you have the DVD handy, be sure to check out a deleted intro scene of Helen and Bob at a cookout, where she explains her decision to stay at home with her kids. My mother, who made a similar choice, loves it. I couldn't find that clip to share, but the following one is also a great example of why Helen is super, whether in costume or not.

Scarecrow and Mrs. KingAmanda King is a suburban divorcee, raising two boys with the help of her mother, when she runs into a secret agent and ends up saving his life. I got hooked on this 1980s TV show in high school when PAX began airing reruns, and only later found out it was a show my mother enjoyed back when it originally ran. Amanda is brave, smart, caring, devoted to her family and her new responsibilities, and she never gives up. She manages to save the country in between school projects and scout meetings. She constantly proved that a strong woman could be patient, kind, yet firm, as in this clip between her and the spy Lee Stetson (warning for mild language):

The Best Christmas Pageant EverGrace Bradley is not the star of this now classic holiday story, but she's a force to be reckoned with. Once she accepts the duty of putting on the church Christmas pageant, she doesn't let anything stop her: not the gossips, not the kids, not even her own family. But she does it all with grace and love, mothering not only her own brood but all those entrusted to her care, even the ugly ducklings. My family has a long history with this story: my grandmother directed it when my mother was a child, and my mother and I both worked on it for Smiles and Frowns Playhouse. Many theatres and churches have a traditional of hosting this show every year, including Cape Fear Regional Theatre. I'd encourage you to see a performance this year; better yet, take your mom with you and thank her for all the times she took you on a special outing.