By Joe Bullick

May is a great month. It is named for the Greek goddess, Maia, who ruled over the growth of plants. The ancient Celts inaugurated this month with the festival of Beltane, which encouraged fertility in the newly sown fields.

In the U.S., we have been celebrating Mother’s Day for nearly 150 years on the second Sunday of the month. It has become the most popular day of the year to dine out, and telephone companies record their highest volume as sons and daughters phone home to observe the day to honor their mother.

For my mother, who is now in the hands of God, I remembered her with a lit candle in church. In many cultures, the month is dedicated to Mary, the Mother of Jesus, and May is often seen as the season of the beginning of new life.

May Crowning ceremonies become popular in the U.S., especially prior to Vatican II. I often wonder what the Bible said about mothers. One of God’s commandments is: Honor your father and mother as the Lord your God has commanded so that you may live long and that it may go well with you in the land.

I have to laugh when I think of the things my mother used to say. These were some of her favorites: You’ll sit there until you eat your supper. If you give me any more lip, I’m going to knock you into the middle of next week. Will you please shut the door behind you. Do you think you were born in a barn? If you have kids some day, I hope they turn out just like you.

Thanks to Jimmy Carter, May was changed from being Senior Citizen’s month to Older American’s month.

Finally, we don’t want to overlook Memorial Day on May 26. We need to decorate the graves of the fallen soldiers who gave their lives. Even as I write, young men and women today are dying today in service of our country. We must support the care of their graves, cemeteries and memorials so that their ultimate price, their ultimate loss is not forgotten.

I leave you with this thought: The world’s favorite season is spring. All things seem possible in May. Thanks to all mothers and soldiers living and with God.

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Joe welcomes any ideas, suggestions or interesting stories.
Email him at northcon@nauticom.net. Please put "Town Crier" in the subject line of your email.

To contact Joe to schedule an appointment to tour his museum at McKnight Elementary School, call the Northern Connection office at (724) 940-2444 or email northcon@nauticom.net. Please put "Museum Tour" in the subject line.

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