Here’s how Mother’s Day came to be, and how it’s changed over time. Suffragist and writer Julia Ward Howe first suggested the idea of Mother’s Day in the United States in 1872. Howe was a pacifist and saw the holiday as a chance to unite women and rally for peace.

The feeling of motherlessness is overwhelming throughout the year, but near Mother's Day, its intensity can be downright suffocating. As the days creep closer to that Sunday, my anxiety level steadily increases to an agitated state.

Moms rule. No, really. With Mother's Day upon us, it's time to shout out matriarchs everywhere and celebrate the joy they've brought to us. (For much of my childhood, my mom was straight up my best friend and mostly encouraged my pop culture loves – though she wasn't too sure about the pro wrestling or Stephen King books!)