Parent’s Day: A Lifelong Holiday
Parent’s Day is just around the corner — a holiday that is celebrated each year in the United States on the fourth Sunday of July. Parent’s Day is not limited to one day, but rather I celebrate it everyday. During this time of the year, advertisements for gifts — ranging from candles to brunch — populate on the Internet and in various stores.
In my book, every day should be Parent’s Day. We can get so caught up in the gift aspect of Parent’s Day that it is easy to forget the real meaning — to thank and be grateful for all that they are constantly doing and giving to you! Now, many individuals give cards to their parents. However, I prefer to celebrate the true roots of Parent’s Day. While buying my parents a gift is nice, I also want to express my appreciation for them everyday during the year.
Growing up, I remember my parents always being very supportive and encouraging us to strive for excellence in different fields — from dropping us off to school to making fresh food. As I grow older, I realize how much of a blessing it is to have supportive and loving parents, and makes me grateful for them.
Holidays such as Parent’s Day tend to get overly commercialized. Similar holidays such as Mother’s Day and Father’s Day can testify to this. According to Petal Republic, total spending on Mother’s Day was $28.1 billion; similarly, it was estimated that $20 billion would be spent for Father’s Day in 2022.
Parent’s Day has changed from its true origin years ago. Now, many individuals give cards to their parents. However, I prefer to celebrate the true roots of Parent’s Day. Instead of buying my parents a gift, I prefer to express my appreciation for them everyday during the year. As an American Muslim, I look at my religion to see how I should celebrate Parent’s Day every year.
Prophet Muhammad ( peace and blessings be upon him) has said several things in support of parents. On fathers he stated that, “The pleasure of God lies in the pleasure of father and displeasure of God lies in the displeasure of father.” To me, I feel that this quote means that pleasing one’s father is one way to gain the blessings of God and that it should be done to one’s utmost ability.
Meanwhile for mothers, he said, “Paradise lies under the feet of your mothers.” These sayings motivate me to always honor my parents beyond an overly priced mug and not limit my appreciation to just one day. I enjoy showing my appreciation in other ways, like helping out with chores, and listening to them.
As we approach the holiday, I look forward to treating it as any other day — with happiness and gratitude for my parents. It is a big blessing in my life to have supportive parents who are ready to help their children every step of the way — parents are a huge part of their children’s life and upbringing. With this in mind, I always strive to show my gratitude for my parents through different ways, like helping out around the house. But that’s only one way to show gratitude. How do you show gratitude for your parents?
