Mom's Recipe for Greatness

by Kody Bateman

It's been just over a year since my mother passed. I miss my mom. She taught me the most valuable lessons in life. She taught me to dream big because I was destined for greatness. She taught me how to live a life of giving. She expected it.

Mama always said, 'Be nice and have fun, keep a smile on your face and find the good in everyone.'

Mom stressed the importance of being nice to yourself as well as to others at all times. When she saw her kids feeling discouraged, she would remind us of who we were - someone special. She didn't tolerate much whining. She would lovingly remind us of our uniqueness. If that didn't work, she would give us a swift quick in the butt. She always had a way of putting a smile on our faces. There was not much time in our home for feeling sorry for ourselves. Mom didn't put up with it.

Mom was a master of finding good in others. I remember her telling me that if I found the good in myself, it would always be easy to find the good in others. I always knew my mom knew the good she had in herself because she was so good at finding it in others.

Mom opened her doors to everyone. Our home was like the community rec center growing up. Everyone felt and were welcomed in. To this day I still run around with my childhood friend who literally grew up in my home. He was always there. We share the same memories and stories of homemade bread and kicks in the backside when they were warranted. He tells me that he remembers always being treated like family.

Mom celebrated people's uniqueness. She believed everyone had something unique to offer the world. She was really good at helping people find their gifts. That was one of the reasons everyone felt they were her favorite. During the one-on-one moments spent with her, you were her favorite because she celebrated who you were. To Mom, passing the test in life was nothing more than finding who you are and then giving that to the world.

Mom believed that everyone was special in his or her own way. She had very little patience for anyone that mistreated another human being. She didn't like it when people mistreated themselves either. She had absolutely no problem letting you know if you had crossed those lines. I watched as Mom not only stood up for us kids, but others as well over the years. You never put yourself beneath or above, she would have none of it. She believed love to be the great equalizer for all people. She lived that message far more than she ever spoke it.

Mom knew that keeping a balance between self and others would keep a person humble. With ego out of the way, we can live the special moments in life - moments where we can learn from and enjoy each other because we are not worried about being better than anyone else.

Whenever Mom sent a message to anyone, it was always in the spirit of giving. She gave for the sake of giving. She was not the type to wonder what she would receive after giving of herself. She simply gave to give.