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The Journey Journal
May 2023 Edition
Special Days in May
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May 4: National Day of Prayer: The National Day of Prayer is an annual day of observance held on the first Thursday of May, designated by the United States Congress, when people are asked "to turn to God in prayer and meditation." The president is required by law to sign a proclamation each year, encouraging all Americans to pray on this day.
May 5: Cinco de Mayo: Cinco de Mayo (pronounced [ˈsiŋko ðe ˈmaʝo] in Mexico, Spanish for "Fifth of May") is a yearly celebration held on May 5, which commemorates the anniversary of Mexico's victory over the Second French Empire at the Battle of Puebla in 1862, led by General Ignacio Zaragoza.
May 11: National Twilight Zone Day: May 11th is the day we celebrate The Twilight Zone. Delightfully disquieting, entertainingly enigmatic, and unnerving. This TV series aired on CBS for five seasons starting in 1959 and ending in 1964. But how do you categorize it? Is it Science fiction? Mystery? Supernatural? Thriller? Fantasy? Horror? The answer is, you don’t. It defied categorization when it first aired and still does today.
May 14: Mother’s Day: The American incarnation of Mother’s Day was created by Anna Jarvis in 1908 and became an official U.S. holiday in 1914. Jarvis would later denounce the holiday’s commercialization and spent the latter part of her life trying to remove it from the calendar. Thank goodness we still honor our mothers on this day!
May 21: World Meditation Day: We celebrate World Meditation Day on May 21 every year. The holiday seeks to create awareness about meditation and its benefits, especially in our busy world of constant movement.
May 29: Memorial Day: Memorial Day was officially established as a national public holiday in 1868 by General John A. Logan, head of a group of Union veterans. The holiday was originally called Decoration Day – named for the decoration of soldiers' graves – but the name gradually changed until it officially became Memorial Day in 1967.
May 31: National Smile Day: Contrary to popular belief, it does not take fewer muscles to smile than to frown. The simple act of smiling can use up to 53 muscles, while frowning takes only 11. But the good news is that all this upward, facial exercise is actually good for your health. Psychologists say that a smile can instantly improve your mood, even if you have to force it. And smiles relax our bodies too, which is good news for our immune systems. Not to mention the ripple effect this causes for those on the receiving side. You never know how a simple smile can change someone’s day.
