This is the BEST part of my blog because I get to meet you and your MAMA*.
The lessons we learned at our mama’s knee form the deepest foundation of who we are and who we will become. Hopefully, these lessons are learned joyfully. Often, however, the most profound of these lessons occur in tragedy, or they result from poor decisions made by mothers who struggled with their duties.
Regardless of how you got there, please share a lesson that you learned from your mama* and how you apply that lesson in your career/life today.
Mentor Mama is trying to find an app/widget that will allow you to post a photo of your mama here along with your comment. If you know of one, please let me know here in the comment section.
*If you didn’t/don’t have a mama, then it is the person who played that role for you. Remember that a “mama” can be anyone: your mom, aunt, uncle, sister, brother, teacher, pastor, grandma!
February 10th, 2010 at 9:37 pm
Nancy,
I guess one of the most important lessons in life that my mother taught me was to become independent. To back up several years, when I was 3 years old my father died of a massive heart-attack. So basically I grew up with one parent in my life.
Being a single mother of two my mom worked very hard for everything we had. Never giving up she provided a good life for my sister and I. We weren’t middle class but we weren’t poor either. We had everything we needed in life. We had food, clothing, shelter and we were happy.
Through this process we call life, my mom taught me to never give up and just keep going. She was a hard worker being a waitress all her life and never took a hand out. Even though we were in a position for government assistance, she believe you get out of life what you put in.
As my favorite mentor Jim Rohn always said, “If you want things to change, then you have to change!” Become independent. The government, your boss and everything around you won’t change unless you do FIRST!
Thank You Mom!!!!
Dave and (Dawn)
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February 11th, 2010 at 2:08 am
Thank you Dave for a lovely tribute to a wonderful and wise mother. I am so pleased that she is the first one to be featured here.
Fondly, Nancy
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February 11th, 2010 at 5:13 am
Nancy,
My Mom always gave me 100% support in all I did as a child. Now that I’m a grown man and have a family of my own, she continues to do the same. She supports me in all that I do and is my number one fan!
That example I learned from her has had an impact on the way I support my own children.
My Mom is the best!
Eddie
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February 14th, 2010 at 8:45 pm
Nancy,
My mom taught me to not follow the crowd and to always stand up for what I believe in, even when I stand alone. This lesson has enabled me to move forward in my business with strong determination and to not listen to the nay-sayers who would try and deter me from my focus. Cheers to my mom! She rocks!
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February 16th, 2010 at 1:24 pm
I love this, Nancy! My Mom taught me two very important things that I am passing on to my children as well. That would be to fill my brains with knowledge because no matter where you go or what you do in Life…no one can take that away from you. AND the other thing that sticks out in my mind on what she taught me was you should stand up for yourself when others are pointing fingers to you but shouldn’t be. BUT…to “kill them with kindness.” Put “them” in their place if you will.
Yaay to my Mom!
Everyone always wanted to hang out at my house when I was going to school BECAUSE of how cool my Mom was overall.
Love you, Mom!
Jaclyn Castro´s last blog ..Video Marketing for Your Business
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February 16th, 2010 at 7:42 pm
this is a great post Nancy,
this was a great lesson that came to me when I was a child.
to be myself and not follow the crowd.
jean´s last blog ..“Attraction Marketing”
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February 16th, 2010 at 8:07 pm
Nancy – the memories are flooding back now…
My mom always taught me to follow my dreams, never give up and that I could do anything if I applied myself. She was right.. I’m grateful that she would say this to me all of the time, starting at a very young age because it has always stuck with me!!
Thanks mom.
And thank you Nancy.
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February 17th, 2010 at 3:03 am
My mama always taught me to be fiercely independent. A great quality to have and one I struggled with in balancing my family. Anyway you look at it, it played a strong part in who I am today!
Julianna Brower´s last blog ..Day 7 Social Media Video Bootcamp
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February 17th, 2010 at 1:19 pm
Wow, I could write a book on this topic ~ my mom is not only one of my best friends but is also my business mentor! I guess I’ll share that my mom is a masterful story teller, and it is an art that is so useful in life and business.
In life, stories are so effective! I learned from my mom how to use a story about someone else to make a point without directly making it about the person you’re talking to. And in business, well we all know that “facts tell and stories sell”.
Stories bridge the gap from the mind to the heart!
Beth Allen´s last blog ..Time Saving Tips to Streamline Your Social Media Strategy
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February 18th, 2010 at 12:31 pm
My mom taught me to be honest and live with integrity.
I did not realize the value of that at the time but sure do now.
I am grateful for all she taught me.
Thanks for allowing us to share these great memories of our mom’s here.
Make it a great day!
God Bless,
-ed
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February 22nd, 2010 at 1:13 pm
Hi Nancy!!
Hear is one from Mom – “There are only 2 lasting bequests we can give to our children; one is roots, the other, wings.”
Peace My Friend!
Chip
Chip Wilson´s last blog ..Why Your Personal Economy Is Critical To Your Freedom
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March 4th, 2010 at 8:42 pm
Thanks to all of you for so graciously sharing your moms with us all!
Mentor Mama
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March 9th, 2010 at 1:40 am
My momma showed me how to improvise in a recipe and make it my own. To her credit, today I still have trouble following recipes but what I make is distinctly my own signature dish. Oftentimes they are crowd-pleasing. Sometimes they are when I’m cooking too!
Patrick McIntosh´s last blog ..Squaw Valley Freeriding
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March 12th, 2010 at 12:29 pm
I don’t have the fondest memories of my mama, but like you said we still learn lessons from them.
I tried to take those lessons and break the cycle in the next generation.
I learned that she did the best that she could at the time. I learned that because I found out that as a mama that’s all that you can do.
Debbie Stevens´s last undefined ..Response cached until Sat 13 @ 19:52 GMT (Refreshes in 23.43 Hours)
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March 13th, 2010 at 4:56 pm
Patrick, My mama taught me to cook that way too! I almost never use a recipe. We’re both in California and my son boards, so we’ll meet up some day and have a cook-off! LOL!
Debbie, You are so blessed that you recognized the issues and have tried to break the cycle. Being a mama is tough under the best of circumstances.
I am so honored to have your stories.
Mentor Mama
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March 16th, 2010 at 7:44 pm
I love this idea Nancy, and would love to share!
The greatest thing I learned from my mother is how to be thoughtful of others. Mom would always (and still does) go out of her way to do something nice for people, or to be there in their time of need.
I would like to hope that her generous and loving spirit has rubbed off on me, and thank her for her wonderful example. Without love and kindness, the world would be such a lightless place.
Kathy Jodrey´s last blog ..How to Capture Opt In Leads on Facebook
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March 17th, 2010 at 9:26 am
My mother died when I was 12 of alcoholism, my father died emotionally. No one was there for me growing up. My mother had a disease and did the best she could with what she had.
If I learned anything it was how not to treat my own children,how to survive and if its to be, its up to me.
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April 1st, 2010 at 2:50 pm
Hey Nancy…my mom showed me what living a life of great faith entails. She had a very close and intimate relationship with God and often would ask me questions like: “what were you doing at such and such a time? I felt like the Lord was telling me I had to pray for you.”
Every time she did this it was easy to track back to something that was happening at that moment. I remember several times where I would be having an emergency of some sort and sure enough the time would be exactly the same as to what she was asking about. These are things that she would have no way of knowing.
Anyhow…I have always appreciated that kind of legacy from my mom.
Bruce Backman´s last blog ..The Ring of Power-One Ring to Rule Them All
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April 3rd, 2010 at 2:08 pm
I learned from my mother unconditional love and seeing the good in everyone or every situation. In the educational field this has proven to be a great asset. I teach special education and love my kids, no matter what! My mother was a wonderful person who was known and loved by a whole community.
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April 28th, 2010 at 8:58 pm
My mom’s been gone a long time, but one of the best things she taught me (and I have taught this to my girls) is that when you want to learn to do something, find the person who does it best and ask them to teach you. This strategy has been so effective as we have found excellent piano and banjo teachers, art instructors, dog trainers, talented seamstresses, and excellent cooks to work with my daughters and to expand their knowledge in the things they were interested in.
Val Haderlie´s last blog ..First and foremost, I am Nana Val
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May 5th, 2010 at 6:42 pm
Great idea Nancy! My mom (as well as my dad) played a big role in my upbringing. She taught me to always put God first, trust in Him, and to always remember that He is in control. She also taught me how to live a life of character and integrity. I still hold to those values everyday and am now teaching these same principles to my 3 daughters. I’m blessed to have the parents I have.
Michael Feil´s last blog ..Is Your Blog Set Up Right For Social Media?
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May 6th, 2010 at 8:40 pm
Hi Nancy,
Thanks for inviting me here to pay tribute to the wonderful mothers out there. My mama is very unique and always has been. Yeah, I’m a Mama’s Boy. I’ve always had a close relationship with her and we can still talk about anything. She’s very dedicated to the Word of God and she is the type that is very very very careful about what she “watches” and “listens to” … She’s a shining example of what a true Christian should strive for; not perfect by any means and doesn’t claim to be, very genuine and down to earth; we were at the “lower end of middle class” growing up. She enjoys reading her Bible every night and she prays for everybody. Heck, she’s put up with me. She’s got to be a great mom! I haven’t always been that “easy” to deal with. I’m ashamed to say that growing up I caused a lot of stress and emotional pain for my mother. She NEVER gave up on me, always telling me she loved me and that JESUS loved me too. Prayer and The Word of God is her Fortress and Her Safety Net, and I thank Him for the guidance He gave me “through her” … I’ve learned so much from this woman; hard discipline, tough love, be a man … and she’s always been there for me when I need someone to lean on. Now, its my priveledge to be able to do the same for her. She has instilled me really good values and morals AND MOST IMPORTANTLY (a Love For God) that will never perish.
Thanks for listening about my Mama!
I pray that you and everybody here has a WONDERFUL Mother’s Day and each mother gets what they deserve: A smile and a hug from their son or daughter. Its the most precious gift to a mom that goes long long ways!
God Bless,
Curt
Curt Bizelli ´s last blog ..The Big Picture with a Marketing Funnel (My Aha! Moment)
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May 8th, 2010 at 2:13 pm
Nancy,
Our mothers didn’t really teach us… their lessons came from example, from how they lived their lives. The biggest lesson they taught us is to be the change we want to see in the world. Not to wish someone else would “fix” things for us, but to lead by example as they did… to help and inspire others by how we live our lives.
Thank you for this opportunity Nancy…
And to us, everyday is Mother’s Day!
~ Pat and Lorna
Pat and Lorna Shanks´s last blog ..Has the Universe Ever Surprised You?
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May 8th, 2010 at 7:50 pm
Hey Nancy,
Great idea!
There is no one out there like my Ma
She has taught me about faith, imagination, and giving.
Take care,
Becca
Becca´s last blog ..Are You Mesmerized By Shiny Things?
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May 8th, 2010 at 10:00 pm
Even though I was a very ill child, my mother never tried to put any limits on what I could do. She always encouraged me to be the best and always had faith in me that I could pull it off. Consequently, I have faith in myself. Thanks, Mom!
Alan
Alan Eames´s last blog ..What To Look For – Part 3
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May 9th, 2010 at 7:26 am
The best thing I learned from my mother is to except people for who they are. Her house was always open to anyone who knocked on the door. If you were a friend you were family. Always ready to share what she had. Sure do miss her!
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May 9th, 2010 at 1:22 pm
To My Mommy,
I love you with all my heart. You have been my support with no judgment. I was able to be me without recourse. You made me the beautiful woman inside and out that I am today.
Our family survived, with you, your battle with Breast Cancer. A time when you were the strongest and we were weak. It brought us closer together and made me realize that you were not made of steel
That one day you will be gone BUT you are here now, by God’s grace, and I will never take that for granted.
I love you, Happy Mother’s Day Mom aka “Pweet” !! AND every other mother out there!
Love your daughter,
Toki Tover
Toki Tover´s last blog ..Do You Feel Defective As A Human Being?
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May 9th, 2010 at 1:24 pm
Last year I wrote a gratitude journal and gifted it to my mother for all she inspired within me. she now has alzheimers and I refer to the journal often so she can re-live her life. My mother had an extreme love for the outdoors and taught me to appreciate nature and the beauty all around that we take for granted.
Wendy MacKay´s last blog ..Child Custody Battles
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May 9th, 2010 at 1:30 pm
My mom was one of those people who just loved life and believed in giving every situation her best efforts. One of the biggest things I learned from her is that life is meant to be lived to the fullest, whatever that may mean for me.
Though I’m cautious by nature, she would never allow me to dwell on the fear that was holding me back. She always made me feel that I was strong enough, and bright enough to accomplish whatever I set out to do.
Even though she is no longer with me, I know that she gave me everything I need in order to be the best that I can be. She was my best friend and while I will miss her for the rest of my days, I know that she is looking down and cheering me on every step of the way.
I hope that everyone has had a wonderful mother’s day and has done something special for the mamas in your life.
Thanks Nancy
~Angel
Angel Taylor´s last blog ..Cool Twitter Tip – How To Send Voicemail Using Twitter
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May 9th, 2010 at 1:53 pm
My mom wasn’t perfect, but I know she loved us and wanted the best for us. She was smart, funny, driven, and compassionate.
During college (and wanting to find a ‘perfect’ major), I asked her for advice. We discussed my many interests and possible careers paths. I kept thinking I had to pick the ‘perfect’ path. She taught me that I could change my major/career/life at any time. This may not seem important, but it went hand-in-hand with her mantra that life was too short to be unhappy. The college lesson was that my major didn’t have to set the rest of my life in stone (it didn’t have to be perfect); it only had to be the best path for right then. She gave me examples of an engineer who later opened a very successful, local greenhouse. My mom herself was an example of this; she had many successful and varied careers.
My mom instilled the importance of making goals, being curious, being kind, exploring new things and ideas, believing in yourself, and living life now. “Life is too short” — yes, my mom thought that, and she died at age 53. I miss her terribly.
I hope to continue making her proud, sharing her stories with the grandson she never knew, and learning from both her struggles and successes.
Jennifer Akers´s last blog ..How To Celebrate Mother’s Day When Your Mom is Deceased updated Sun May 9 2010 12:23 pm CDT
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May 9th, 2010 at 2:18 pm
Anyone who has read my book LivingintheHeartland:Three Extraordinary Women’s Stories (http://tinyurl.com/ybnk7ml) is likely to understand why I won’t leave a tribute to my mom here. Instead, I would like to honor my sons, particularly my youngest, who are the reason Mother’s Day is important to me. I have always enjoyed my time with my boys,and since they left home for college I have missed them each and every day. When my youngest went to college, he’d make a “surprise” appearance for Mother’s Day. This year he lives too far away to drop in for a day. So I was resigned to a day with the hubby, the dog and me. This morning the dog let me know there was a car coming down the street. I looked out and saw a FedEx truck driving by. I went back to reading the Sunday paper. The dog continued to bark. The truck had stopped at our house! A special delivery order of GORGEOUS roses arrived with CHOCOLATE!!! Later when I told my son he SHOULDN’T have, I told him that after I held the box for 10 minutes before opening it, the dearest treasure in the box was his note. It said, “Happy Mother’s Day! Sorry that I can’t be there to celebrate. Hope you have a great day! Don’t you know that made my day! Probably the month
Now my hubby is making dinner. Soon I imagine my other son will call to wish me a great day. God I love the guys in my life. They really know how to make a Mom feel special.
Pam´s last blog ..She’s an Expert in Rescuing Marine Life from Oil Spills
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May 9th, 2010 at 2:55 pm
Cool idea Nancy. I can’t wait to read everybody’s comments. I’m sitting here outside in Santa Monica. It’s a beautiful Mothers Day, sunny, ocean breeze, and right next to me is my buddies crazy red lab licking my barefeet and toes as if to say … “Don’t bother writing about your mom – play with me!”
My mother grounded in me so many great ways. She taught me about my heritage and how important it is to remember your roots and family. She taught me at an extremely young age to lighten up and have a good laugh at least once a day. She was the best story teller I think I have ever known and I miss just being able to sit back and relax and talk with her for hours and hours about all the nonsense going on in the world today. She was a very special person and made quite an impact on hundreds if not thousands of lives as she was a teacher.
She used to always tell me to try everything once. Especially vegetables. If I didn’t like something I would never have to eat it again. But I had to at least try it once. This was a great message she taught me about life but used food and vegetables as the means to get through to me. To this day, If I fear something I try my damndest to push through the fear and try it once. Its usually not that bad. Public speaking comes to mind… Geesh… I hated that the first time. Do you remember that?
Thank you Arax for being a fantastic mother. I will always miss and love you.
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May 9th, 2010 at 3:04 pm
The most important of the many things I learned from my Mom would have to be compassion & kindness ,and unconditional love !
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May 9th, 2010 at 3:14 pm
Nancy: What a wonderful post and great idea to hear our “Mother stories!”
Mothers are especially close to my heart, as mine passed on with cancer when I was 4 years old. She was a beautiful woman and in those short years she taught me the importance of love and honesty. She explained her illness to me and talked about her coming passing.
I miss her to this day and am so thankful for the time that we had together and for the lessons that she shared…ones that have been passed on to her grandchildren.
Thank-you for having us reflect and share on this special day.
Happy Mother’s Day to You!
Linda.
Dr Linda Douglas´s last blog ..YOUR CHOLESTEROL…ARE YOU AT RISK?
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May 9th, 2010 at 3:35 pm
Thank you to all who have shared. I have made a conscious decision to refrain from commenting on individual posts. This section of my blog belongs to you and your mothers. My commentary is unnecessary, as your words speak for themselves.
Lovingly,
Mentor Mama
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May 9th, 2010 at 4:33 pm
My mom was a very kind and caring person. She was always preparing meals and knitting sweaters to help us survive the long, cold winters in Minnesota! Even more important, though, was my Mom’s concern for the spiritual climate of life. My mom and my dad prayed with us and for us every day. They set an example of living a life trusting in God and serving others which has become the most valuable gift in my life. Thank you, mama mentor, for the invitation to write about our moms for Mother’s Day!
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May 9th, 2010 at 5:51 pm
My mother’s favorite saying was: “Love many, trust few, learn to paddle your own canoe.” I probably should have listened to her. I had learned to love many and trust most of them, even though many were not worthy of my trust and have caused me setbacks and losses along the way. I did learn to “paddle my own canoe,” be independent, do it all myself. That is another one I am working hard to unlearn. We all need each other and interdependence is far superior to rock hard independence.
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May 9th, 2010 at 7:16 pm
Today we give our love and respect to our mom’s and the mothers in our lives. We give gratitude for the love and nurturing that they have given us day after day throughout all of our highs and lows.
Over the past 15 years in my practice, I have observed the love that naturally exudes from a mother countless times, and I am always humbled by this powerful energy.
This love is primal, strong and protective, and at the same time soft, insightful and wise. The love that a mother offers is the feminine principal of our world, and I believe, the sanity of our existence. The mothers ignite our hearts and illuminate
the compassionate, loving energy for both men and women to carry to the forefront of our lives.
The mothers you know may have appeared in your life in
traditional and non-traditional ways, and they have appeared to
give you the nurturing necessary for you to not
only survive, but to thrive. Whether the mothering influence in
your life came from your birth mother, adoptive mom, aunt,
grandmother, family friend or other loving soul, this beautiful
lady deserves to be recognized, appreciated and embraced for
the pivotal role she has played in your life.
My mom has been my inspiration. Believe me, I was not
the easiest child to raise. (Just a tad stubborn, demanding and
rebellious.) But my mom hung in there with me and always
encouraged me to follow my dreams. She has overcome cancer
and at 78 does not miss a day at the gym. This is one strong lady!
And there was Bobbie who helped raise my brother and sister and
I. I love her dearly as my other mom.
So this Mother’s Day, think about all the mom’s that have
guided you along the way. And some way, some how, find a
way to say … “Thanks, Mom!”
_____________________
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May 11th, 2010 at 3:14 pm
OK, My mom is definitely the “alpha” dog in our family as far as parents go. I guess I learned to be head strong in that way
Bill Cowan´s last blog ..Climbing Michi’s Ladder
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May 26th, 2010 at 1:01 pm
Nancy,
You touched a tender chord here. My mom was my best friend. While I lost her 27 years ago, she is with me in spirit every single day. A 500-page book could not cover all the things she taught me (and many others, as she was “mom” to many), but the top of the list would be her unconditional love. No matter what I did, she was always in my corner.
She was the bedrock of our family—a shining example of how to live and truly enjoy life!
Darlene Davis´s last blog ..Listed Number One
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June 1st, 2010 at 7:17 pm
Hey Nancy! My mom is the most caring person in the world and would give you the shirt off her back. She will do anything for anyone. She is my biggest fan and supporter. She has taught me how to give, love and put other people before myself.
Angela´s last blog ..How to See Challenges As Opportunities
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June 13th, 2010 at 11:51 am
My mama taught me how to have fun and laugh even when life was crappy. She was a wonderful woman. I miss her. Thank you for the opportunity to write about her.
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