This weekend is Mother’s Day, which provides me with a wonderful opportunity to give my mom her due.
Quite simply, my mom has shaped who I am, who I aspire to be, and how hard I work everyday to get there. She instilled in me the courage to stand up for myself, to stand up for my beliefs, and to pursue my dreams. Most importantly, she has supported and loved me unconditionally, when I am at my worst or at my best. Her only expectation of me is to be the best “me” I can be.
From my earliest days, I always wanted to be the things she admired most in others. She loved the sound of a saxophone, so I learned to play the saxophone. She loved the sun and the water, so I became a lifeguard for nine years. She admired someone who could stand up for himself and stare down his own fears, so I studied martial arts and received my black belt in Tae Kwon Do. She never expected me to do any of these things – I simply studied what brought her joy, and I sought to deliver those things to her in my own way.
If I failed at something, she would always look for the lesson or the positive element that I could take from the experience. She’d point out that I tried, or that I wasn’t afraid. “Sure you fouled out of the basketball game, but that means you played an aggressive game, and I admire you for that.”
Now don’t get me wrong, this was not about “everyone is a winner.” She taught me many things, sometimes things I didn’t want to learn, but she always did it with an underlying understanding of unconditional love. She may have been disappointed in me for something I said or did, but I would always be her boy.
My courage comes from my mom. Her nickname is “Grizzly Grans,” affectionately named for a character in the Berenstain Bears children’s book, because it reflects her nature of fiercely protecting her bear cubs against any threat.
Mom expected greatness from me from the very first day. She didn't think there was anything in the world I couldn't do, including being president of the United States. She always made me feel like I was the most interesting person in the world, and there wasn't a single girl that shouldn't want to go out with me.
I have always felt completely loved and endorsed, and my two brothers feel the same way. Each of her boys has a special place in her heart. She has a way of seeing the unique strength and goodness in each of us, and that's what she admires.
On those occasions when I have received recognition for some achievement in my personal or professional life, people will say to my mom that she must be proud. She always responds the same way, “I have been proud of him since the day he was born, and I’m proud of all of my boys.”
Looking back, the pattern has been unwavering. If I failed at something, she was proud of how I played the game. If I succeeded, she was proud that all my hard work paid off. But in the end, she has always been there in the stands, always playing the role of my biggest fan, and always giving me the inspiration to go for it
In the back of my mind, I suppose I have always known that the worst thing that could happen would be that I would fall short of my goals, and would simply retreat back into her arms. Not a bad consolation prize if you ask me!
Abraham Lincoln once said, “All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel Mother.” I couldn’t have said it better.
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