Showing posts with label respect. Show all posts
Showing posts with label respect. Show all posts

Wednesday, May 6, 2015

Happy Mother's Day to all you amazing women!

It’s that time of year again. The time when we celebrate the wonderful Mothers, Grandmothers, and otherwise influential women in our lives. This upcoming Sunday is the one day a year when everyone feels compelled to salute their Mom. In my opinion, it should be the day we bust out birthday cake in pajamas and then all other days we say, "I love you, Mommy." But that's just me. You better have a gift and/or card already on the way. 

Being a Mother, not just a mom, is the hardest job any woman can possibly work. We don’t get recognition but once a year (if that). You don’t get paid for all the long hours, lack of sleep, hazardous spills, and crazy hair days. To all you women who have scared the UPS delivery guy by answering the door in your pajamas and hair that looks like you stuck your finger in a socket… I salute you! Been there, done that, and laughed at the look on their faces. Even when I was embarrassed to realize I had no bra on, I still laughed.

Your job as a Mother starts from conception. You will probably puke your guts up, outgrow everything you own (permanently), and in some cases gain scars that will never go away. But you will gain an experience that makes everything worth it in the end. The first time you hold that precious life in your arms, the life you made, you will be changed.
Then you get home and are tested to the utmost limits of your sanity. Indeed, you might even have breakdowns – mentally and physically. Hundreds of diaper changing, feedings every two hours, sleepless nights, cold meals (if you can stay awake to eat at all), and laundry every day. As they grow, your job doesn’t really get easier. Sure, you get a little more sleep finally. You can wash less clothes after age two. But now you have to put on the running shoes because they will NOT stand still no matter what you say or do. They test their own limits. What can they get away with? How far can they push you, before you throw your hands in the air and say, “I’m done!” They are like little sponges. So inquisitive. Curiosity is how they learn and grow. And then questions start. “Where do babies come from?” “Why is you pee-pee different than mine?” “Why is daddy so hairy?” Or even better, be walking through Walmart and pass the camouflage bras with your little boy. Chances are good that he will yell, “Look mom! Camouflage boobies!” They are so good at coming up with stuff like this. My mother as a child had it all figured out. She said, “Little girls play with each other. Little boys play with themselves.”
Even through the harder years, it’s worth it. If you do a good job as a parent, as a mother in particular, you will see the fruits of your efforts. And they last a lifetime. The love that never ends, that surpasses death, engulfs you. That child will always be your baby no matter what they do or how they grow. They will always run to you when they need nurturing and comfort. As they grow older, they will finally seek and possibly follow your advice. Some later than others… The closer a bond you have with them growing up, the closer they will be to you as they age.
The women who have my utmost respect and love are few, but completely my heroes.
My Mother. She has and always be the one I seek until death do us part. We might not see eye-to-eye on everything, but there is a respect that I will have forever. She’s given up everything for me. Her dream of being a nurse, her perfect model body, and on some days I think even her sanity. When I feel like I’m failing, she’s there giving me advice and telling me she’s proud of me still.
My Nana. This woman has endured more than your average single mom. She has worked harder than a man, been in beauty pageants, raised a son alone, took care of a mother that was bitter to the core, traveled the world, and is now struggling with a body that no longer works like her mind. I can only hope I’m half the lady she is.
Nana S. W. (You know who are) I’m not related to this one by blood, but by a bond stronger than blood. She started out as a pen-pal and now has become better than a grandmother to me. She will tell it to me straight, even if I won’t listen or don’t want to hear it. She’s had her hard life. As a woman on the police force, who was in an accident that cost her a leg and started her on the path on single motherhood, she has experienced more than I could possibly handle. But her wisdom has been there when I needed it.
Ava M. She was named my godmother, but has been more like family from the day I was born. I would do anything for her. Her life has so many amazing stories that built her. She may as well be another adopted grandmother in my life.
Sue L. has been my mentor and a great example of what a strong woman is since I was a volunteer in her US Naval Sea Cadet Corps. She has patience, strength, dedication and a whole lotta compassion for children.
I know I have a long road ahead of me. Especially as a single mother of three. I won’t give up. I won’t forget what I’ve learned. And I’ll be the best Mother I can! Definitely raising my kids to be future nerds with pride.
Kudos to those who are making the most of their time and raising an awesome future generation, with or without help!



HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY! 

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Where have our virtuous values vanished to?

Once upon a time...
We have all heard stories that start with those words. Nowadays it's the title of a hit TV show depicting classic fairy tales with a modernistic twist.
They are also typically the beginning of tales concerning bravery, honor, dignity, honesty and chivalry. Whatever happened to those virtues?
A man who would brave the monsters or stand before an army showing no fear, only courage, to his enemies. Women with honor worth fighting and dying for. Anyone ever heard of the old common law - You touch her, you marry her? Shot gun wedding? Even if you don't like musicals, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers is where I first learned the terms. I'm not a big musical fan, but that was one I could watch over and over. Historically, if you "touched" her, your choices were to marry her with her dad standing ready with his shotgun or he would hang you from the nearest tree.
Dignity is a word that most people these days probably don't even know the meaning of. "Dignity - the quality of being worthy of esteem or respect." Once upon a time, you earned high esteem and respect by the way you acted towards and treated others. Just as the Golden Rule says: do unto others as you would have done unto you.
How many people these days feel guilty when they tell a lie? When I was growing up, there was no such thing as a white lie. You either tell the truth or you don't. And yes, sometimes the truth hurt. Sometimes people get their feelings hurt because they can't handle the truth. Or they just don't want to accept it. Does that mean we should just baby their feelings? I think not. It's raising a generation of pansy-hearted fools who want to live in a day dream of over-inflated egos.
Chivalry, according to the dictionary means courtesy towards women. It was more than opening a door and letting a woman pass through first. A gentleman would lay down his cloak or coat over a mud puddle so that a lady wouldn't soil her petticoat. He would go that extra mile just to put her mind at ease or to see her smile. Don't get me wrong, I don't think women should be as weak as they once were. Fainting at the sight of blood? No, thanks. Nor would I want two guys to duel over my affections and have the winner (whoever was still alive) calling claim over me afterwards. It's the passion and honor though that has been truly lost. And to be honest, women may have been the ones who pushed it all away. Women fought for equality, which is fine in some areas. But we keep pushing. If a man holds the door open for the wrong woman, the response might be something along the lines of, "What? I can't open my own door?" when it should have been, "Thank you."
Today we have STD's running rampant, young girls becoming single mothers, guys chasing what's considered "easy tail", lying about anything and everything as easy as if they were telling the truth, stealing as though everything in the world belongs to them...
What happened? Will we ever truly see the once upon a time moments return? Or will they only appear in the handful of people who are still holding fast to the beauty of an age long past? They seem to be prominent in movies, television and books but the response to them is, "It's just a work of fiction. None of that is true. That doesn't happen in real life."
I hope everyone that reads this, takes a good look around them. I hope you pay more attention to others. Be a little more mindful of how you act and treat those you come in contact with. Who knows? Maybe we can revive old virtues once again.