Mother's Day was in part inspired by a woman named Julia Ward Howe who nursed the wounded durintg the American Civil War. In 1870 she started a crusade to institute a Mother's Day as a Day for Peace.

"Arise all women who have hearts, say firmly: Our sons shall not be taken from us to unlearn all that we have been able to teach them of charity, mercy, and patience. We women of one country will be too tender of those of another country to allow our sons to be trained to injure theirs. In the name of womanhood and of humanity, take counsel with each other as the means whereby the great human family can live in peace..."
Julia Ward Howe

What a shame that we mothers have allowed PEACE to be removed from our symbolic day.