The occasion has a relatively short history, in terms of holidays. In fact, a woman from Grafton is credited with its founding in honor of her own mother in 1905.

It was an idea that caught on in a big way. And why is that?

Mothers are the anchors of many families, which in turn are the foundational units intrinsic to a successful society.

Perhaps some folks will honor their moms on Sunday out of a sense of obligation. For most it will be an expression of love.

Love, especially that of a parent for a child, may be the strongest force in nature. No mom is perfect, but most do their utmost to care for their offspring and give them the best possible start in life.

The result is productive human beings who mature, find mates and develop their own loving families.

Or not.

Things do not always fall neatly into place.

The traditional family works, and I don't mean to undermine its importance. It is the building block on which the rest of a functional society rests.

But sometimes people don't fit into traditional roles, and the question becomes: Can other models work?

President Obama weighed in on that topic this week, and while I may disagree with him on many other subjects, I can't do so on this one.

He spoke of same-sex couples he knew personally - loving parents who are doing their best to raise their children just as he and his wife are.

Big change like societal recognition of those relationships can seem hard to deal with on the public policy level. Leaders worry about the rippling consequences, which are difficult to measure or even predict.

But when considered from a personal point of view - as the president expressed this week - it seems much simpler.

I have gay friends, colleagues and acquaintances. Actually, it feels strange to describe them as such because I don't think of them that way, especially the first group. They are just friends.

I trust they don't think of my sexual orientation any more than I do of theirs.

However, I realize that as a hetereosexual I can take for granted the rights that fall my way with no effort.

I have sensed that these friends - all highly functional in their jobs and community roles - live in a state of disciplined wariness. They are careful about their references to certain topics in the presence of people they do not know well.

I have found myself wanting to break the ice, yet realizing it might not be a good idea.

What about the harsh judgments and reactions I might be subjecting them to?

Obama mentioned the accepting attitudes of his young daughters. I have noticed this in my own children, who are in their 20s, and others of their generation.

Unlike their elders, they have not witnessed the social revolution; they were born into the more diverse culture that resulted. So they don't wrestle with these issues in the way their parents and grandparents do.

Actually, many of them think we're nuts. They've moved on.

And so should we all.

Which brings me to this point: While I understand that some people will choose a presidential candidate in November based on this issue, I will not.

Obama deserves credit for courage in expressing his personal view, but there are more pressing issues for the leader of our country to tackle.

The growing dependency of our culture, not problems related to its diversity, worries me more.

Friend is editor and publisher of the Daily Mail. She may be reached at 348-5124 or by email at nan...@dailymail.com.