My Momma Told Me: Lessons Learned from Mom- sometimes in spite of myself...
With Mother’s Day right around the corner, I have been thinking about some of the things I’ve gleaned from my Mom’s wisdom. This has been hitting me especially hard as my own daughter rapidly approaches teenager-hood. I could swear I never challenged my mom like my darling daughter does me…. But I guess that’s another post…
Now, I know that my Momma took her role seriously, but I am also certain that she didn’t even realize the lessons she was teaching a lot of the time. (I guess I could’ve called this post sh!# My Mom Says, but I thought the other title sounded much nicer…)
So, here’s to you, Mom! Here are 3 of the things that have stuck with me from my mom’s vast library and the lessons I learned:
1. “Who has that?” Probably as early as 5th grade (maybe even earlier), I would come home from school or an activity brimming with ideas and things that I wanted. It could be a certain type of folder (Trapper-Keeper anyone?) or game, but usually it would be an article of clothing. Inevitably, my mom’s response would be “Why do you want it? Who has that?”
The Lesson: It didn’t take long to catch on to this one. My mom never once pulled out the “if your friends were going to jump off a cliff, would you do it too?” But “Who has it” is the same lesson much more cleverly taught. It forced me to examine why I wanted to do or have something. And believe me, just because Cindy had one was not a good reason. I began to love this lesson and by high school, I prided myself on being an individual. I always knew what I wanted and why I wanted it, and it was never just because someone else did.
2. “You can always take something off, but you can’t put it on if you don’t have it.” Here’s a common scenario for those of us who have kids: trying to get your kid to wear a jacket. I struggle with this one myself. Just because it’s sunny out doesn’t mean it’s warm!
The Lesson: There are a lot of things that I find myself saying that my mom said that go along with this one. (My brother’s favorite Mom-ism that he has heard from me is “Brrr- I’m cold just looking at you!” Yep, I’ve said it.) But the thing that has stuck with me is the idea that you can always take the jacket with you, but you don’t have to wear it. Now, apply this to your everyday life- business and personal. Imagine you are at a barbeque and you strike up a conversation with an acquaintance who is suddenly struck by the fact that you are a REALTOR. “My son and his wife are ready to buy a home. Do you think you could help them?” Wouldn’t it be a great idea to have a card to give him? This may not happen often, and it may never happen once, but I always have cards in my purse because you just never know. I guess this could be boiled down to the Boy Scouts motto- Be Prepared- but for obvious reasons, I was never a Boy Scout.
3. “This, Too, Shall Pass.” Now, I know that my mom didn’t invent this one. But it is one of her favorite sayings.
The Lesson: There was a short time in my early 20s when my mom would say this and I’d come back with something smarty-pants like “yeah, it’ll pass… like a kidney stone!” She was patient with me though, knowing that I just had to vent a bit. This one may seem a little cliché, but now that I am north of age 39 (and 40...), I get it. Life has it’s ups and downs, and there are things you can and cannot control. And whether it’s in the Real Estate biz or personally, once that kidney stone has passed, things get remarkably better. Quickly.
I love you, Mom. Happy Mother’s Day!
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