Each Mother’s Day I try to find a card that isn’t too sappy, and instead captures what a spitfire my mom is. Most cards go on about how gentle, kind and beautiful moms are. My mom is all of those things too, but what makes her special is that she is brave and funny and takes on life like a professional wrestler jumping off the ropes into the fray. I have yet to find this in a card.
With this Sunday being Mother’s Day, the BOCA team is sharing the other defining qualities that they learned from their mothers and from being a mother.
Independence: “You are never alone — you always have yourself.” I remember my mom saying these words to me via phone when I was 24, living in a new city, starting a new job and far from home. She was a single parent before it was cool. My mom taught me the value of independence — and how knowing your worth and being your own advocate/friend is essential in life.” – Becky Quinlan
Becky and her mom (in 1979)
Strength: My mother is truly the definition of a strong woman and she’s instilled the same strength in me since I was a little girl. In every aspect of her life, my mom faces a challenge head on and never waivers from her goals. I hope to one day be half the mother she is!- Alyssa Marty
Alyssa and her mom
Savvy: My mother taught me how to be Savvy, which I define as being able to think on the fly and respond intelligently. Savvy people are also survivors who can figure it out and make the best of any situation. – Kathleen Shanahan
Kathleen and her mom
Integrity: The best quality I have adopted from my mother has been to live your life with Integrity. As a kid, I will never forget my desire to be a philanthropist like my mom and continue to help others in need. What she gives back to her community as a social worker, contrasted with my parents struggle to immigrate to the states during a civil war in El Salvador, still inspires my aspirations to do the same today. – Kevin Cornejo
“To live your life with integrity is to live an honest life.” – Nuria Cornejo
Confidence: I learned from my mother and share with my daughter how to be confident and go after whatever it is you want in life – don’t let anything or anyone hold you back. Work hard and it will pay off. She’s 10 and is a black belt in Tae Kwon Do. – Lori Bertelli
Lori and her daughter
Resilience: It wasn’t until I was an adult that I appreciated how adaptable and positive my mom is when facing difficult situations. She taught me it’s better to face your fears, take risks and embrace adventure even if it’s a little scary. – Drea Garrison
Trust: My mother is a huge believer in trusting that God will never give me anything I can’t handle. I live by this every day. No matter how hard a situation may seem at the time, I know I will get through it and that I am stronger than I know. – Natalie Wolfrom
Faith: From day one my mom has always embodied faith in all aspects of her life. No matter what situation it may be, whether it’s a challenge or a blessing, she has taught me to always have faith that things will work out the way they are supposed to. It may sound cheesy, but because of her, I truly believe that everything happens for a reason. – Lindsay Hart
Lindsay and her mom
Poise: I would say my mom taught me the importance of having poise. At a young age she introduced me to fine dining, explained the importance of posture and carrying oneself, and enrolled me in ballet lessons. How you carry yourself says a lot about you, so I’m grateful that my mom taught me at a young age how to walk through the world with confidence.
Alivia and her mom
Ambition: Growing up, my mom worked full time and was also a full-time mom. Seeing her be so successful at mastering both her career while also dedicating all of her time to her children and family, has made me driven to be the exact same way. She truly is a superwoman and I will never understand how she does all that she does, perfectly. – Lauren Bialkowski
Lauren and her mom
Kindness – When talking about my mom a family friend once said: “To know Tricia is to love Tricia.” And it’s true. She’s well liked and easy to love, in fact, sometimes I think my friends are closer to her than me. It comes to down to how kind she is in all situations. She can be arguing with the cable company or negotiating a million dollar contract for work, and every single time she comes across as kind, caring and considerate. – Alicia Cormie
Alicia and her mom
Optimism: My mom lost everything in a fire when she was in her mid-20s. From then on she lived by the motto “don’t sweat the small stuff”. She always encourages me not to get upset over things I cannot control and to keep a positive attitude even when faced with adversity. – Shauna Roberts
Shauna and her mom
So stand up and be proud all the fierce, strong and wonderful moms out there, we love you and are so grateful that you’re ours. We’d love to hear from you as well! Please share what you’ve learned here in the comments or on BOCA’s Facebook page.
By: Drea Garrison