My mother Margie showed me the importance of a close family and companionship. My earliest memories were with my mother and Nana Bea, another strong female in my life. Whatever I wanted in terms of my newest trend, whether it was a special nutritional regime or a new outfit, my mother supported me.
My mother showed me how to shop, how to have a sense of style, and how to coordinate, making sure that everything matched. She taught me about jewelry and how a simple gold ring or necklace could mean so much when memories were attached to them.
My mother showed me the importance of female friendships through her own example. She was close to all her aunts, “the aunties” and shared very close, long time friendships with so many wonderful women.
My mother showed me the closeness that sister-in-laws can have with each other, as she loved Aunt Mary so much. She showed me the closeness of a brother and sister, with her own dear brother Harold.
My mother showed me compassion for children by loving my three sons unconditionally and being there to tell me of how great they were—all the time. She would always say, “Don’t put your head on their shoulders,” reminding me that they are their own men, as they should be.
My mother showed the grace of a long-term commitment and devotion to a spouse, especially through the eight years of caring for my father after his stroke.
My mother showed me her path in the world and I then learned that I needed to take my own path as a woman; we acknowledged the differences in our paths, yet I knew she felt pride for what I have done along my journey.
My mother showed me that we, as children, get to choose our childhood and adulthood memories of our parents that we can then carry with us for the rest of our lives.
