S
he didn’t have the
easiest life. Her mom
was always sick and
eventually went blind from
Type 2 Diabetes. She dropped
out of school in the 10th grade
to care for her. When her three
siblings all married and moved
away, she continued to care
for her mother until she met
my dad in her mid-twenties
and moved my grandmother
to a nursing home. The birth
of both her children were
difficult; she endured 36 hours
of labor with my brother, and
lost nearly 30 pounds while
pregnant with me due to
asthma, which she suffered
from for the rest of her life.
Although she was not a
risk-taker and often saw
the negative aspects of a
situation first, I could not
have had a better role model
than my mom.
38 | Eydis Magazine
Here are three reasons why.
1. SHE TAUGHT ME
DETERMINATION
Mom was left-handed when
she started school and
at that time, left-handed
children were judged as
being wrong and different.
She was forced to switch to
writing with her right hand,
which she says caused her to
stutter for years to come. It
was something that always
made her self-conscious and
affected her self-esteem. Yet,
if someone threatened one
of her children, “Mama Bear”
came to life and any personal
fears she had disappeared.
My older brother also started
school left-handed and when
the school system tried to
switch him over as they had
done to her, Mom was in the
principal’s office giving him a
piece of her mind.
While communicating verbally
was challenging at times,
she easily expressed herself
with art. I have memories of
many oil paintings she created
and a few hang in my home
today. Although she never felt
confident about her talent,
she was good. But more than
anything, her determination to
live for eight years following
a major heart attack, coupled
with diabetes, kidney issues,
congestive heart failure and
MRSA contracted in the hospital
reminds me how possible it is to
fight through adversity.
There is always a path to
the goal and a way to make
something happen. Mom
taught me that.
2. SHE TAUGHT ME TO
HELP OTHERS
From a very young age, I
remember my mom reaching
out to others in need, often
volunteering behind the
scenes. She invited every
stray to holiday celebrations
— people who had nowhere
else to go — and called the
local colleges and Navy base
to invite students and service
men or women who had no
family or friends to be with.
She would even send my dad
to pick them up. Mom didn’t
know how to cook for just
four, the size of our family. She
excelled at cooking for 30, so
we always had lots of leftovers!