More than Mother's: impactful women in my world

Tomorrow we celebrate Mother's everywhere for the very sacrifice, love, protection, and wisdom they brand on all of our lives. Even at nearly forty-two, I had a conversation with my mother the other day where she reminded me in a subtle, but wise way about focussing on some essential things in life and not letting worldly definitions zap me of joy.

There are nine women that I want to focus on as there is no doubt that each of them has left an undeiable impression on my life.

First, I would like to mention my aunt Cindy who passed away a few months ago. I spent nearly every summer and two school years with my aunt. Though she never had children of her own - she taught me so much. Aunt Cindy taught me to believe in myself and to keep trying to become better and what it meant to be loyal. Oh did I mention that she taught me how to give generously? She was the best gift-giver ever - not because she had the means to be, but because she had the heart for it and loved doing for others.

Secondly, I would like to introduce you to my Grandmother "Grammy" who passed away in 2007. Grammy had a hard life, living through the Great Depression as a kid whose mother died in a house fire along with one of her siblings. Grammy's father was a drunkard that couldn't hold a job, or stay out of jail, so my grandmother and her siblings were sent to a Children's Home to live. She never graduated from high school or drove a vehicle; nevertheless, she read all of the time, was very in turn on world events and understood what it meant to be a second class citizen. The events in her life shaped her into a kindhearted person who believed in forgiveness and humility.

Next, I would like to mention my three sisters who are tough and caring individuals. Two of my sisters have lost children which I don't think that I could ever recover from. Did I mention that they are all brilliant too? All of the women that I mention in this article are smarter and more capable than I am in any way. Once when I was in the second grade I got in a scuffle with a friend of mine who was whipping my butt - when one of my sisters (and brother) jumped in to help me out.

My mother-in-law Denise has battled breast cancer, assisted her sister who passed away from breast cancer, witnessed her father pass of pancreatic cancer, and started a care group for women that have also experienced this horrible disease.

My son's mother and my first wife have always been a terrific mother. Having a child at eighteen missing out on so much and putting me through college as she worked crazy hours at a hardware store.

My wife, Rachel, and mother of my girls is not only a wonderful mother, wife, and daughter, but she spent nearly nineteen years helping kids in the Foster Care system. She reminds me so much of my grandmother with her sweet presence, but at the same time has the grit of my mother.

Lastly - my mom who had me at the age of eighteen - was kicked out of high school and not allowed to graduate because she was pregnant. She had six children with the second eldest dying at three months of age. From putting up with my dad's and us kids' shenanigans, she tended bar, helped my dad with his cleaning jobs, worked at a few different factories retiring from one that I was fortunate enough to experience a summer in college at, it was undeniably very physically taxing and dirty work. She did all this while always making us a hot meal and ironing our clothes (until we were able to iron ourselves).

I have been thinking about this over the two days - and for the life of me, I cannot understand how women have been treated as if they are not tough, capable, or able to do things that historically men have done. Not only are all of these women smarter and more capable than I am - they are also mentally stronger than me too. I cannot begin to fathom how they have accomplished this while unselfishly yielding their time and resources to their employer, husbands, the community as well as being wonderful mothers. Happy Mother's Day to all of you and know that I respect and am greatly thankful for all that you have done.

Know that you have left an unerasable mark on my life and I much admire your strength and kindness.

Happy Mother's Day!

john