“All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel Mother.” Abraham Lincoln.
Mothers have always played a special part in the lives of children and regardless of whether there’s a day to signify their importance in the development of future generations and the pedestal they deserve to be on, a Mother’s significance should never be forgotten or their role left as an afterthought.
Created in 1908 by Anne Jarvis in West Virginia and celebrated on the second May of every year, it’s a unique commemorative occasion set aside to celebrate, adore and honour our mothers along with important mother-figures in our lives.
A day to recognize the immeasurable roles they will always have. They are a source of inspiration and love that follows us regardless of age.
Providing an infinite amount of wisdom and guidance, these were a few things on a long list I learned from my mom.
Spirituality
While it may not follow us into adulthood, whether it be my mom or grandma, a strong woman with a vested interest in my well-being and stability both inside and out introduced me to spirituality being an important component to my life and living well.
Love
My mom was the definition and blueprint of what love is and should be. It’s the first exposure I had to such a feeling and she first introduce me to being nurtured, how to care and it ultimately played a vital role in how I love others now as an adult.
What’s important
Ultimately, we all have the same basic human needs but it’s those wants that sometimes get us into trouble, especially as a child.
She always found a way to ensure I didn’t confuse the two and while this may have led to anger and frustration on my part when I was younger as I was unable to deciphering between the two, it’s something I came to understand as I matured.
Mom helped me understand what priorities meant and how to never treat the wrong things as one.
Admitting fault
No one is perfect and it would be idiotic of me to think my mother was. We all make mistakes and the best thing to do when they happen is to humbly admit so as early as possible.
She made me understand admitting my mistakes doesn't make me stupid or timid but rather it’s a level of maturity and speaks to my integrity and character.
Mistakes will indeed happen, it’s a matter of how they are handled, corrected and learned from that determine the consequences from them.
Help
As a volunteer and working in non-profit organizations, mom always made it a duty to give back. From early on she made me understand that a well spent life is measured by the number of faces I put a smile on and who I positively impact. She would tell me it’s not all about getting but about giving. That message has shaped my life in the right way.
Spend valuable time with the family
Mom once told me, “The greatest gift of life and friendship is family.” No matter how far we are from our extended family, we always find a way to spend any available time with them.
As an adult now, there is no place is as interesting and loving as being around both family and friends.
Being Content
Every day wasn’t peaches and cream. For a variety of reasons there were some days better than others.
However, we were taught to be content. She would tell us, “Stay humble. Tomorrow promises to be better.”
When tomorrow did come and our situation improved, especially financially, she was quick to remind us, “Don't be driven by money because you’ll never know when you’ve made enough. It won’t give you complete happiness.”
As I moved on with life, I got to understand what she meant.
The lessons learned over the years from my mom are priceless. A novel could be written from all I’ve come to learn from her and even then, it would be no more than a small fraction of the priceless information I’ve received.
Surely, I’m not the only child who can never thank my mom enough. Take a moment to share some of the lessons you learned and continue on this reflective story that I’m positive most can agree with.
