The Mother’s Day Mantra

“Sooner or later we all quote our mothers.” –Bert Williams

For me that is, “Would you believe it?”

It is the preface of recounting something remarkable, good and something true: The things that to others might seem coincidental but to her are fulfilling little miracles. The stories are short, but the impact lasts long.

I love that phrase and have embraced the concept as part of my learned genetics, my inheritance. My mantra. I always look for ways I can use it in my own life. I intentionally open myself to surpassing the every day what-ifs in hopes it will drive me to call my mom and begin an anecdote with “would you believe it”.

Did you ever imagine your life would be as effective as it is right now? Did you ever dream you’d come this far? That you would have the support and the opportunities you have been given?

Your mom did. Moms are our greatest life, business and health coaches. Moms push us when we settle in quick sand rather than pursue success. The only thing moms desire of us is to never doubt our capabilities and never pass up the possibilities.

There is one day dedicated to celebrating moms. But for all those other days the greatest gift we can give our mothers is to never stop trying. Envision life as an intense workout. To quote Jillian Michaels, mother to millions in the health and fitness industry and to her own children, “Unless you puke, faint or die, keep going.” Take a break if you have to, but keep going.

Bleed. Sweat. Cry. Keep going.

Because you won’t believe what’s on the other side of your finish line.

We all have mothers that have helped us get where we are and maybe you are one of them too. Strangers, authors, family, co-workers, doctors, TV personalities, bosses, neighbors, featured stories in the local newspaper; These are the people that we encounter that challenge us to walk through the mud and come out with a miraculous “would you believe it” story.

Think of the children’s book, “I love you to the moon”. Often that gravitational defying, all-encompassing love can be masked in persistent and redundant motivational lectures. That love may aggravate us, but that love will get us to the moon, if only we have the audacity to shoot for the starts.

So, what “would you believe it” story will excite a mom this Mother’s Day?

The Ten-Minute Time-out

It’s been, perhaps, the longest winter we’ve seen in our lifetime. 6 months, half a year of holidays, a new year and the innocent ground hog that woke up on the wrong side of the hole.

But then we had one beautiful day.

There I was, this past Tuesday, sitting at my desk beside my co-workers, longingly staring out a window that was too small to capture the big earth. The boss came inside and said, take a ten-minute time-out and take a walk around the block, enjoy this beautiful weather. I was trying to earn a paycheck doing what I loved and my boss, Laura Wallace, just dictates we take a moment from the busyness of making a living to make a life? Unbelievable!

What kind of ethically responsible human does that kind of thing, who just encourages others to stop, take a time-out and smell the scent of deceased snow? One who took Dolly Parton’s words to heart, that’s who: Never get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life.

Brilliant violet rays seeped through my skin, making me feel all mushy inside even as I squinted against its power. 12 hours made us forget about all that discomfort of long johns and lacing up boots every. Single. Morning. The clouds didn’t just have a silver lining, so did the mud and the potholes eaten away like slugs under a bucket of salt.  Yes, when the weather radar forewarned a 50% chance of precipitation I was so high on the magic of March and spring I thought, should any showers hinder us from saluting the sun, I’ll just pull a Gene Kelley and sing in the rain. That is what dryers are for, are they not?

Maybe it’s not a hall pass from your cubicle, casual Friday, or an early dismissal but take the weekend and make it worthwhile. Make a life; make it come alive. Be a Goldilocks in a world of possibilities. Try everything until you find something that is just right.  And hold those 12 hours close. No matter where or when they happened, let your ultra violet rays resurface on the days that just need a little life.

P.S. It wasn’t long after that walk that fried ice-cream appeared on our desks. Ah, so that’s where the snow rests in peace.