A Tribute to Mom: 5 gifts that molded my life

With mother's day coming up (and my mom's birthday) I wanted to give a tribute to the woman who brought me into this world.  This is not only a tribute but lessons I've learned from my mother on how to instill greatness in others.

My mother is the rock of our family; always consistent, steady, calm and collected.  She is not a reactionary person; an example of clear mindedness and unflappable.  This is the first and by far the most important thing a child needs:

          1) Provide a safe environment that offers consistent love and discipline.

I distinctly remember the time that I started hanging out with a neighbor girl who was not a good influence on me.  She taught me how to have an endless supply of chewing gum by peeling it off the sidewalk and recycling it.  She also taught me a few colorful words.  One day I thought I'd try out one of my colorful words on mom and we went straight into bathroom to taste a bar of soap.  

I discovered there were much better words to express myself.

The second gift my mom nurtured in me was:

          2)  A sense of adventure and freedom to explore.

One significant memory that I have with my mom was when we lived in Germany and she and I were out in the back yard looking for snails.  Mom wanted to try her hand at making Escargot.  We looked under rocks and bushes and I was absolutely amazed when  there, low and behold, was a snail.  Mom always encouraged me to play outdoors, explore and expand my imagination.  

The third gift mom gave me was:

          3)  A listening ear

I was picked on a lot as a kid and I remember going to bed and mom would sit in bed with me and listen to the stories of how kids pushed and punched me or screamed in my face.  She never tried to solve my problems. She simply listened, acknowledged my pain and encouraged me. 

The fourth gift that mom modeled for me was:

          4)  She never complained; she modeled servanthood. 

My mom worked 6 days a week at the gallery that my parents started almost 40 years ago.  After working all day she would come home, make a great meal and THEN clean up after the four boys (my dad included).  She never complained about all the work she had to do.  She loved us and served us,not as a martyr or a suffering servant.  She simply loved us and served unconditionally.  I am embarrassed today reflecting back on how little I contributed to our household as a boy.

The fifth gift that mom gave us was:

          5)  She was and is a woman of faith.

My mom was never one to take charge but when there was a leadership vacuum she would always step in.  She led the women's group at church.  She hosted Bible studies and fellowship groups at the house all of the time.  She was the quiet, consistent leader and had the respect of anyone who knew her at church (and that was most people.)

My mom is the most beautiful woman in the world to me both inside and out.  I don't mean to idealize her.  She wasn't perfect, but pretty darn close.  I love you mom and I want to thank you for the great sacrifice and investment that you made in me.  I strive to be a son you can be proud of because of deep gratitude I have for all that you've done for me.  Happy Mother's Day and Happy Birthday! You're the best!