Happy Mother’s Day to all of the mom’s out there! I love this weekend… and I hate this weekend. Let me explain. I love that we take a minute to honor, remember and love the moms in our life. I can honestly say that being a mom is the hardest thing I have ever done so a day to reflect and celebrate motherhood is important to me. But on the flip side, I am without my mom. I tragically lost my mother three and a half years ago. I just want to see her face one more time, feel her hug me one more time and most of all, hear her laugh one more time. Just one more time, that’s all I need.
But the truth is that I am so stinkin’ lucky. I had a mom who was so amazing, so loving, so giving and had such a big impact on the world. And guess what?! She was MINE… my mom. She taught me to love big and love well. Not just through her words, but really through her actions. She was constantly doing things for others and making them feel like they matter. She was purposeful in her actions and went out of her way to give to others. She invested her time, love and energy into kids. At her memorial service, I specifically remember thinking about all of the kids’ lives that she touched and how her love shaped who they are and who they will become. Even after her death, she continues to inspire me, teach me and even challenge me to be better. My mom was an enormous part of my decision to start Kids Boost. I know she would love the idea of helping kids give back to the world.
I am lucky. She was MY mom… a mom that most people would dream about.
When I look back at my childhood, I realize it was the small things my parents did that meant the most. It was their actions, the day-to-day love for others that taught me the most.
So it got me thinking…. What will Parker, my son, remember about me? And what will your kids remember about you? What legacies are we leaving to our kids and the kids around us? Are we being purposeful in teaching our kids to love well and are we being purposeful in providing opportunities to allow our kids to give back to others? If you are looking for easy ways for your family to give back to the community, check out my previous blogs for lists of easy ideas. Or hey, get involved with Kids Boost. Let’s do this together!
Happy Mother’s Day to all of you hard-working, selfless, generous moms. And cheers to my mom, Granna, Miss Kay, my inspiration, my motivation and my biggest cheerleader. May her legacy continue to impact this world.
