Things My Mother Taught Me

Soon my mother Emily will be 91 years old. Obviously she knows some things about being a mom.

The biggest thing that stays with me is seeing how she was always there for someone, no matter what. She often says "We are family" and is always ready and willing to help out a family member.  She taught me that sticking by someone, even if you don't always agree, is what helps keep a family strong.

Hard work was never a source of complaint to my mother. She just knows how to dig in and get something done, and to keep at it. Having grown up on a farm in Wisconsin set the stage for a lifetime of work. After she left the farm, she moved to Chicago and worked in an airplane factory during World War II, became a stay at home mom, and then worked at various retail shops until her retirement. For her, work was just another necessary part of life.    

And lastly, my mom learned to sew at an early age, and became a gardener much later in life. She taught me to sew when I was a teenager and to see the value in time well spent on something you love to do.

Thanks Mom, for showing me the way. And Happy Mother's Day!