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Showing posts with the label commercialization

Scent of spring: Songbirds, cherry blossoms, and warmer days

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    Spring, perhaps the most awaited season of the year, is about to grace this region of the world with its presence. I know spring is about to arrive in Delaware because after a series of unusually frigid mornings, which lasted from December through February, cheerful chirping of red-breasted robins, blue jays, and chickadees has now filled the morning air. In contrast to spring mornings, winter mornings are so hushed and uneventful that one may even question if birds exist in this land at all. To me, birdsongs are the harbinger of spring.  With the first sight of a bluejay perched on the backyard fence or a cardinal dancing on a leafless cherry branch, I know that my wait for spring is almost over, for I’ve learned from past experiences that an increase in bird activity signifies the approach of spring!  In this part of the world, during spring, nature comes alive with an abundance of activity. Everywhere I look, I witness signs of life. I witness new life in the ...

Commercialization of Mother’s Day

As I saw dozens of photos on Facebook of my friends eating out with their  mothers , I wondered if  Mother ’s  Day  is more about gift-giving and dining-out than actually recognizing what a  mother  does  for  her child. In the Unites States,  Mother ’s  Day  is one of the most commercially successful celebrations -- cakes, flowers, greeting cards and expensive gifts, such as jewelry worth billions of dollars are spent around this occasion.  Anna Jarvis, the West Virginian woman who founded  Mother ’s  Day  in the U.S.A., fought against the  commercialization  of this  day  until her death. She spent her money and time, speaking and working against what businesses have turned  Mother ’s  Day  into. In a survey carried out by the National Retail Federation (NRF) before this year’s  Mother ’s  Day , it was found that the Americans were expected to spend some $20.7...