Lessons I Have Learned From My Mother

My mom’s birthday was last week, and if you read my first blog post, you know the condition my mother is. To give you a bit of an update, my mom was diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver; it was caused by the high doses of pain medication she has been on over the past five years. It is a very mild case, and the doctors have taken her off of codeine and Tylenol. She is still taking pain medication, but not the kind that is so harmful to your liver. Her doctor is confident that this will slow the progression of the disease. My mom seems to be in better spirits, and she has made a few small improvements, such as being able to sit up. To honor my mother’s birthday and some good news for once, I am going to share with you a few things my mom has taught me over the years.

• It’s okay to make mistakes. Everyone messes up in life, nobody is perfect. Instead of beating yourself up for not being as active as you should, for dating that loser, for eating two bowls of ice cream, learn from your mistakes, move on, and know that you’re not the only one to do something you probably shouldn’t have.

• Respect your elders, always! You don’t have to always agree with them, and of course you are entitled to your own opinions, but listen to what they have to say, after all they have lived longer, and can probably give you some advice on how to not make the same mistakes they did.

• “I’m not racist, there’s good and black in everybody.” She meant to say good and bad in everybody! Ha ha! On the inside, we are all the same, and that’s what matters.

• When in doubt, pray. If you absolutely do not know the answer, or where you should go next, pray about it. God will not steer you wrong.

• “You’re a dreamer, and while it’s okay to dream, don’t lose focus of the present.” She’s absolutely right. I have a tendency to dream big. I dream of how I want my house to be, my career to expand, what my kids will be like. However, I may not get any of those things, and that’s okay too. Life rarely turns out the way we plan.

• “It’s okay to be emotional, but try not to let it bring you down.” My mom and I are both very emotional people. It doesn’t take much to make us cry, but I sometimes have a hard time with letting things go, and I get depressed, angry, etc… because of it. I am learning though. I keep the quote “Let it Be” by my desk at work as a reminder, plus I love the Beatles!

My mom has taught me many things in life. I wouldn’t be the strong-willed woman I am today if it wasn’t for her. I hope some of these lessons will inspire you! I’d love to hear some of the lessons your mother has taught you!