Mother’s Day isn’t an official civic or religious holiday in Mexico, but it’s a really big deal to the people.

Under normal circumstances the set date of May 10 would be a full day of festivity. It won’t be so in this year of a frightening plague. To conjure up positive sentiments, I’ll share recollections of Día de las Madres in happier times.

The brassy blast of a trumpet rips me from the comforting embrace of Morpheus. As the familiar strains of “Las Mañanitas” register in the fuzzy workings of my brain, I roll over and pry open one eye to peer at the clock. It’s 4:30 a.m. Ah, yes. ¡Feliz Día de las Madres!

I patter over to the window, looking out towards the street to find the protagonists of my startled awakening. A lamp post outside my neighbors’ front gate illuminates a dozen musicians decked out in matching uniforms standing in the bed of a battered pick-up truck. They are belting out that unmistakable melody being played in millions of salutes to Mexican moms across the nation.

Please login or subscribe to view the complete article.