THE LIFE OF MY MOTHER

My mother was the youngest of nine children. She was a twin. She grew up on a tobacco farm in North Carolina. She graduated valedictorian of her high school class and moved away from the country to a big navy town to attend nursing training. She and twin sister were the only ones in their family to continue their education past grade school.

My mother was not healthy as a child or an adult. Life on the farm very hard and did not get any easier when she moved to town.

She received her nurses training at a strict Catholic nursing school. She wore a white uniform, hat and shoes until she retired.

Living in the city was very new to my mom. She grew up where you did not ride a bike, dance or drink. After graduation from nursing school she met my dad and they were married. My mom was 29 and my dad was 36 when they were married.

My dad had lived the good life. He loved to dance, drink, spend money and have a good time. We even learned when going through some of his papers after he was dead that he had been a merchant seaman.

Liquor was new to my mom. Liquor turned my mom’s life to hell because she handled it very poorly. She never missed a day of work and had to ride the bus back and forth to work. We did not have a car or TV until I was 13.

I had one younger sister. My mom’s drinking has caused my sister and continues to cause my sister years of pain and embarrassment over fifty years later.

I married my high school sweetheart and moved away from home. My only child a son was born and I was divorced by the time I was 27. I was a single mom and I lived four hours away.

I watched my mother’s life change before my eyes in her later life. A wonderful thing happened. My mother was strong enough to overcome her drinking and she returned to my life and family. It had been a long hard period of time for mom and our family.

Once she stopped drinking our family home became the center of our extended family. All of her brothers and sisters (she had 8) and our many cousins came to visit. Our home became the place to hold family birthday parties, Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners.

Mom was a beautiful woman. She was tall and had a slender build. But as I mentioned above, she was not a healthy person. She had a portion of her lungs removed in her thirties and was told she only had several years to live. She lived to be almost 80. The last four years of her life she lived on oxygen. As a young woman from the country she started smoking to fit in the crowd and never stopped until it was too late.

Despite all of her limitations, Mom continued to work for over 35 years as a RN. She retired and looked after my dad until he died. My parent’s life together improved and they enjoyed living out their life together with their daughters and grandson.

My mom was a great inspiration to my son. I was a single mom for 18 years. My ex-husband never saw his son after we divorced. My son is now 41 with a wonderful wife and my three grandchildren. When I needed a babysitter for my son, my parents were always available.

One of my fondest memories is when my mom took my son, her grandson, bowling. My son still talks about it today. My dad did not like to fly, so he rode the bus four hours to babysit for my son when he was sick for a week. My mom lived for another 15 years after my dad died. She and her sisters would drive up to see me several times a year. It was always a happy time even though they would always get lost.

The last 15 years of my mom’s life were good and bad. My sister had returned home because she was unable to work and blamed my mom for everything that happened in her life. My sister never married or had kids. Although mom had been able to pull herself back together she lived with the quilt for all the hard times she caused until the day she died because my sister’s life had turned out so poorly. My mother blamed herself.

My mom loved us. We never did without. We had clothes, shoes, dance lessons, violin lessons, piano lessons, a place to live and a dog.

As a mother, stepmom and grand mom I have learned valuable lessons by remembering how brave my mother was.

Linda Baccus
Founding Member
BraveHeart Woman Global Community


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Linda Baccus

I would like to pay tribute to my mum. She is undergoing treatment as I write for her third brain operation. She has undergone all her treatment with such grace and dignity, as she has everything in her life. She is of a generation where respect and integrity were paramount. I don't know what I would do without her, she is my best friend, my confidant, my mum. Love you mum.

I pay tribute to my Mother, Ethel L. Hobbs. If I had to choose a theme for my Mother's life, it would be "A Life That Speaks." I can look back over my life and see that Mom always sacrificed and put her own desires, dreams and interests on the back burner for us, the family or anyone who needed her. And she did it with a smile and a gracious heart.

She has lived a life of service to someone all of her life until only two years ago when Aunt Lucy, her 100 year old aunt who lived with her passed away. From her brothers and sisters, to her mother-in-law, to my grandmother and grandfather and finally Aunt Lucy and even cousins and strangers, my mother was the one who was there...and could always be counted on to be there. She has always been a "rock."

When Aunt Lucy moved from New York to live with Mom, she was in her late 80's, full of spunk and pep in her step. After moving with Mom, she started looking younger by the day, even though she was getting older. Her health declined when she was in her late 90's, and Mom took tender loving care of her, just as she had with everyone else. I believe in my heart that my Mom's own brand of "Angelcare" is the reason Aunt Lucy lived to be 100. This loving care is my Mom's true and unique gift.

My Mom became a widow at age 57 and she courageously got her driver's license at age 60 and met the challenge to drive on toll roads and expressways, highways that many seasoned drivers of many years still avoid today. Last year at 73, she decided she "had more to give" and became a caregiver. When she got her first patient, Mr. Quinn, it was believed that he would only live for 2 or 3 weeks. He was being discharged from the hospital to live his final days in the comfort of his own home, unable to move or speak.

But my Mom tended to him with care, respect and love and not only did he talk, but he was able to shower, walk with the assistance of his walker and enjoy his days. He even became grateful to his wife. She restored his dignity and helped him to believe in himself again. She also helped him to become assured of his salvation when he thought he would not be going to heaven. He found peace again and thrived for six more months...living life... instead of wasting away.

She is happy hearted and caring. She will tell you the truth. She is a true fountain of wisdom. She is compassionate and non-judgmental. She is forgiving. She expresses love in action and not just with mere words. She stands for what she believes in and feels no need to defend herself. She is true to her self. Her life is her testimony. She is unassuming and never calls attention to herself. She is striking and when she enters a room, she lights it up. She is unaware of her true power, influence and reach or if she is, she feels no need to wear it or exploit it. She is a breath of fresh air. She looks like a woman of royalty, a congresswoman or corporate mogul in her photographs, but she doesn't think so.

At a time when many are saying "I'm done", Mom is saying "I'm just getting started."

She taught me what matters in life, what is truly important and deflected me from what was superficial. She taught me to think for myself and to pay attention to life and to follow my heart. She gave me grounding and a strong foundation to stand and build on in in life. She taught me resiliency and the ability to recognize and use my God-given gifts.

From her I learned to appreciate who I am and my uniqueness as a woman and not to need outside approval. I learned from her that true and lasting beauty is on the inside and it will never fade. She gave my life depth...she gave me my wings.

So on Mother's Day, I pay tribute to you Mom. You are a Braveheart woman, EXTRAORDINARY in every way, beautiful through and through. Your light shines so brightly!

Though 'm walking my own pathway, confident that it will lead me where I belong, your voice is the one I hear in my head, keeping me on the straight and narrow. Thank you for your guidance, wisdom and your great example. Because of you, in my own way, I strive to have like you, "A Life that Speaks."

God bless the day you were born and the day he sent me to you!

Love you Mom,
Sharmaine Hobbs
www.whenwomenawaken.com

My mother, Marcia Rohn, passed away last summer. She was so very brilliant and loving but died from Alzheimers. She no longer even remembered her children. It was so hard to know that although she heard us, she had no remembrance. She had achieved much and had been high ranking in the BLM before she developed this disease. I just wish she had known that most of the time, getting ample omega-3s will prevent this occurrence. But, hopefully the women who read this might now know that omega 3s will make a difference for them if they will get enough in their diets or from supplements (like Moxxor).

This was another hard year without here presence. She had been very brave all her life, and overcame many obstacles.

My name is Linda. My Mother was my hero. She stood strong in raising three children by herself for 12 years until my step father came into her life.
My mother was the example that I built my life around. She was hard working and generous to others. She always encouraged me to reach for the stars. She was the one who was by my side when I battled gallbladder surgery and the complications that followed.
I watched her remain strong and be there for my sister's battle with cancer. Mom was there when my sister at age 41 lost the battle to cancer.
My mother died at age 61 of cancer. She did not get to see my daughter graduate from Medical school nor did she get to meet her first great grand daughter. I know she is in heaven bragging to everyone who will listen about how wonderful her family is. The same that she did when living. She lived a brave life.


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Linda Y.Jones

My grandmother & mom were both definitely BraveHeart Women, if they would be around, they would be still looking after somebody else but themselves. Two most unselfish and giving people I ever met in my life. My grandma had a huge impact on my life and my two sisters, we called her Omama, she was our soulmate, our girlfriend, our support system, our connection with past and traditions with her endless stories, she was our tailor, we constantly argued for shorter and shorter skirts, she was our inspiration being one of the first school educated midwifes on the beginning of 20th century, she was talented painter and the best cook you can imagine, she would outcook any of the stars from Cooking Channel.
My mom, her daughter could not be closer to her personality, she had three daughters, and as my grandparents were aging she was looking after them as well, she never had any time for herself, and when it came to the time she could actually start to enjoy herself and entertain her grandchildren, she got cancer, fought it for few years and went to meet her mom and now they both keep eye on us, and boy we need it!!
On the end I want to share something very special to me.
Just a few days ago very early in the morning when you are not sure if you are still asleep or not, one of them came to visit me, I woke up to feel very soft hands touching me lightly like a feather on both of my cheeks, just for a second....Thank you!


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Gabriela Hudousek

My mother in truth never wanted any children, but me the youngest of 5, she really did not want, and actively tried to end. Now in her last phase, 95 years old, she let it be known she does not want to see me anymore. It kept me determined to be the best mother i could be. A single mother of 4 very wanted children. Her point of view made me determined, made me go one, when everything in me screamed to give up. For in my heart i could never do to my children what she did to me, deny them the presence, the love of a mother, who celebrated their existence. Even when not seeing eye to eye still celebrated their existence. So in the negative she was the most fantastic example i could possibly have. I never felt angry with her, i understood her, i forgave her, and i wish her all the best.


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strong survivor

happy mothers day

If you are still lucky enough to have your mother, give her unconditional
love and appreciate her. If you're a great mother, have a great day!
Let me tell you a tad about my mother Leah Rubino. She was born in 1926
and became the spitting image of Bea Arthur as she aged. She had a great
sense of humor, was a real street fighter, and had a beautiful singing
voice too. She raised five daughters and took care of both her aging
parents at the same time. She did whatever she had to to protect her kids
and had zero fear.
She had lots of great one liners which you all get to hear from time to
time through my mouth (yes it's true, we all become our mothers). My
sister Rose has a tee shirt that says "Mirror mirror on the wall, I am my
mother after all".
She was first generation American, both her parents arrived through Ellis
Island from Sicily. She met my dad and the rest was history. She did
without a lot to give us what she could. I remember her doling out pennies
to us each morning for milk and cookies in school. I remember when she got
her first refrigerator and the ice man was no more. Watching her iron
hankies (cloth tissues for those who don't know what they are). Own school
clothes, etc.
She could order whatever she needed from the grocer, butcher, fruit & veg
guy by yelling out the 2nd story window of our brownstone to the shop
keepers. Everyone in the neighborhood knew her. About 10 yrs ago I went
back to the old neighborhood with my grown sisters and people still called
out to us "Leah's daughters". I remember her telling me that one day I'd be
another Oprah. I told her I wanted to be me.
She died in 1992 and died bravely. It was my privilege to help her cross
over. She gave birth to me in the physical and I gave birth to her in the
spiritual. The dance had concluded.
Nary a day I don't think of her and realize how smart she was.......
She was a big part of who I am today, and how I rear my children and
grandchildren.
Think about your mom today, and if you have issues, forgive them already
and move on. We all pick the lessons and people we need in our lives to
grow and become who we are.
Love
Meria

www.Meria.net


--
Meria Heller
Producer/Host "The Meria Show"
www.Meria.net