Mom's Wisdom

For the rest of May, I am joining a Tribute to Mother's by sharing 1 lesson each day that my mother taught me. There may very well be a few lessons from Grandma or my Mother-in-law snuck in, so I hope Mom doesn't mind sharing the spotlight.

Today we are starting with Lesson #1: "Be strong."
Oddly enough my father, a naval pilot and firefighter, taught me to be sensitive, and Mom taught me to be strong. My mother is one of the strongest women I know. I'm not talking about being an Amazon. She is much more the DIVA.

When something needs doing, Mom will do it. Whether its moving a forest of trees in the backyard or moving her family across country. She digs in to whatever she faces and 'gets 'er done' So she taught me at an early age to be strong. To work through the trials of life and take my destiny in my own hands. She would probably say that she taught me to be 'assertive' which is true, but it's only one part of being strong (and not even the most important part).
Being Strong is also staying calm in a hurricane, or when your child is bleeding, burned, or distraught, working 12 hour shifts, standing up for those you work with, building a wall, or knocking one down, doing what is best for your children even when they don't appreciate it(I've learned a lot about that since becoming a mom myself.), and holding on to your own sorrow until you can release it without hurting others(that strength is a lesson in itself).

Thanks for the lesson, Mom. I am strong because you are strong and your mother is strong.