In honor of Mother’s Day, I thought it would be nourishing, inspiring and downright heart-warming to open up a space for us to share some of the ‘nuggets’ that we remember from our mother’s guidance and wisdom!
I hope you will join me in honouring these special women by posting a ‘reply’ with one of the things you will never forget her saying!
I’ll go first … I thought about sharing some of the things she said most often:
- “A change is as good as a rest”
- “There is no virtue in suffering”
- “Your dad is a good man … the alcohol is the problem.”
- “Never mind … I can do it” (this one was laced with a subtle splash of guilt)
- “Always do your best.”
BUT … as I pondered the question for a moment … it occurred to me that one of the most meaningful messages I got from my mom did not come in words …
I must have been about 8 years old … and … my mom wanted to take me to the movies in order to get out of the house. After consuming more 5 Star Whiskey than he could handle – my dad had, once again, passed out on the couch. She could see it coming and she had asked him (when he was still coherent) if she could have some money to take me. He had refused. I can’t remember his rationale … but …
Once he was snoring, my mom proceeded to put her hands down the cracks of the sofa around him, searching for coins that had dropped out of his pockets over time. She kept searching … and counting … until she had collected enough pocket change to get us on the #2 trolley bus … which would take us to the theater downtown. I don’t remember the movie we saw that night, but … here is what I heard her saying:
“If there is a will, there is a way.”
- If you really want something, think outside the box.
- Don’t let someone defeat your dreams and goals without first exhausting ALL possibilities
- Don’t give up your power in the presence of limitation.
- Be brave in the face of your dreams, delights and desires.
Such sound advice mama … thank you. Resilience is born of messages like that one! I had no idea how often I would draw upon the wisdom of those words – never uttered aloud – but deeply heard in my heart.
Happy Mother’s Day Mom … xoxo Karen
P.S. Please join me in honoring our moms most memorable words! It’s no fun to celebrate alone. Be sure to post a little something you remember your own mom saying so we can collectively revisit those memories. It will be fun to see the messages we recall – the most common ones, the most unique ones, and of course, the funny ones … 🙂
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