Earlier this year, as I sat in the Starbucks wondering what I was going to write for a sponsorship application, my friend asked me where I found my inspiration over the years. She sat and listened as a smile spread across my face and I told her about my beautiful mother. At the end of my precious walk down memory lane, she looked at me and said, “That’s it Dundee, that’s your story, you are your mother's legacy.” The thought was humbling.
The days following that meeting, I reflected on my mom’s life and on her impact in this world. She was a woman who walked the walk and people would solicit her input. The subsequent guidance she shared always seemed to be exactly what they needed, whether it was in the form of words, a hug, or the simple touch of her hand on their cheek. I wondered how it was that she could impart such wisdom; how did she know just what to do or say? Then it hit me – she always listened before she spoke. It was through her complete understanding, that she could give the best advice.
Throughout my life, I witnessed the strength she exhibited; as a mom, as a wife, as a professional and as a friend. Her love was all-encompassing and her gentleness palpable. As my sisters and I grew, my mother shed light on our strengths and encouraged us to make the right decisions and reach beyond what we thought was possible. She fueled our interest and through discipline she honed our work ethic. She expected us to set bold goals and work hard to reach them. She gave us and those she touched, the tools to believe that there are no barriers, there are no walls. More than anything, she encouraged us to identify what was important and challenge anything that got in the way.
Taking risk is the hardest thing you'll ever do but imagine how amazing our world would be if we were all unafraid of what might happen if we walk out on that ledge. Are you fulfilling your life's work or have you taken a wrong turn along the way? It's never too late to step into the unknown and shake things up. What is holding you back from reaching your goals; whatever they may be? Get in the driver's seat of your life and change your course if needed. Risky? You know it is...but what's the worst that can happen?
Know one thing...you are never promised tomorrow but you have the moment NOW to make a change in your life and be a part of something bigger than you.
In 2005, my mother was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer. Over the next two years, she would go through the biggest fight of her life, one we would ultimately lose her to on October 8, 2007. Throughout that fight, even when that very cancer robbed her of her ability to move and communicate, she still displayed grace and beauty.
As we celebrate amazing mom's everywhere, I write today’s blog post in remembrance of a loving woman who touched the lives of many. I wish she could meet the people who have come into my life over the last five years. I truly believe that they came into my life at the right time, each uncovering a different dimension of me and inspiring me in a different way. I love these people and the role they hold in my life. They inspire me to dig deeper and become a better person.....the person she always believed I could be.
Thanks Mom for sending them all my way, you did good. ~ Happy Mother’s Day.
"Don't be superficial. Take time to really listen, to store away, to really hear. Don’t be so eager to speak, to draw attention to yourself, that you don’t savor the moment with the person you’re with. Moments are few and pass quickly. Take time – make time – to be real." ~ from my mother's journal September 9, 2003
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Be Happy. Be Healthy. beSTRONG©
Michelle
