My mother was a hard worker. All her actions were founded upon a strong work ethic.
My father worked hard too. He had no choice as a farmer.
My mother held a dedication to not simply the work she did. She approached all tasks as a job to be, and done well.
The degree to which you did a job well, spoke, in her mind, to your character.
It mattered not the task, rather, our approach to complete the task and accomplish this by giving your personal best.
This personal best formed the essence of the entire individual, according to my mother.
I have adopted this belief.
I encourage our children, observe them to see if they are giving their “… personal best …”
Regarding school, while I valued grades, of greatest important, is did our child give her personal best.
A person can make an “A” on a test, but that does not necessarily reflect their personal best.
On the other hand, a child who scored a “D” may have given all they had within the context of the task at hand, their life situation, and other factors.
Now my mother was competitive. To be sure, she liked not only doing her best, but being the best.
I am an overachiever, again, like her.
I am told that I work diligently and persevere in my efforts to accomplish the goals I set for myself.
My mother seemed to have set many goals for herself.
I am not aware of all of them.
Some of them she shared with me, one being to get a college education.
As valedictorian of her senior high school graduation class she exited primary school with no means by which to enter college.
After working for two years in our nation’s capital as a domestic she was summoned home by her mother with the message that they had saved enough money to send her to college.
My mother was the only of her siblings to enter and graduate college.
I cannot imagine graduating at the top of my 12th grade high school class, giving the valedictory speech and knowing that my parents lacked the funds to send me to college, that might never get a secondary education.
My mother worked hard during her childhood.
Despite her failings with me, her daughter, and in our relationship, she gave her personal best.
She worked hard as a young adult.
She was determined.
It seems only right and fitting that I, her daughter, would observe her doing the same, approaching tasks with the commitment of an eagle swooping down upon its prey.
I can relate to your mother as a hard worker. My parents used to call it “Uplifting the Race”. Most Black people raised during the Depression and World War II felt this way. Jim Crow was another factor. Even though neither of my parents went to college (actually my Dad did but dropped out to join the Air Force and he served proudly during the Korean War) they wanted me to at least graduate from high school. After I left the Army in 1981 I took a lot of technical and trade courses. The Wang operating system came out then the PC. That I learned mostly on my own. My Dad used to kid me and say that I was a professional student. I think my mother was just happy I had a decent job. She was a maid and it was a thankless task so working in an office was a step up in the world for her daughter.
I believe my parents would have paid for college but I joined the Army in 1977 right out of high school. I was the Fun, Travel and Adventure kid. Had to get that out of my system. By the time my Dad passed away in 1995 I knew I had to get an education and get serious about life. My mother encouraged me and always asked me how I was doing in school. She was very proud that I made the decision to return to school at age 36. Unfortunately she died in August 1998 and did not live to see me graduate. For that I was very sad. However I felt that both my parents were with me in spirit. I was so depressed after my mothers death but I only took off one semester in 1999 and went right back to college. I graduated in May 2002 at age 43 with a 3.6 GPA. Pretty good for a middle-aged lady! One of the best accomplishments of my life.
I believe that vicariously through me, my Mom got to lived a life she only dreamed about. I was the risk-taker, rebel, Free Spirit and Nonconformist. I was also fortunate to hear her express her love for and pride in me before she passed away. I believe she and Daddy are still beaming down on me and Stephen from Heaven.
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