happy international women's day

Happy International Women's Day!

That's a photo with my mother - who else would I want to highlight on International Women's Day?  :)  My husband and I walk more regularly now together in the evenings.  In one of our recent walks, we talked about how amazed we are at all she's done.  My mother came to the United States not knowing a single person here.  Our father left us at a really early age, so she single-handedly raised us.  And when I say raised us (I have a brother), I mean raised us.  Healthy meals for dinner, packed our school lunches, sat with me for hours and hours with my homework, sat with me for hours in making sure I NAILED the piano practice for the week, drove me to all kinds of extracurricular activities (piano, violin, math club, ...).  This is a woman who has a kind of drive and persistence that even I don't know if I can even come close to.

She did ALL THAT while also working a full time job, a NIGHT shift one, to support us as a single parent.  She worked the night shift so that she could be available for her children during the day.  We went to church every weekend, sometimes multiple times in a week.

On top of it, the lessons on humility and service towards others is what she drove into us, into me.  When your head does get big, and there's nothing like having a good family to bring you back down to earth.  Every weekend, she had me play the piano or violin at local nursing homes.  I remember thinking, WHY!?  It really was not the "cool" place to be spending weekends, especially when you're in middle school or high school.  The lesson she drilled in, is that no matter how big or busy you are, you have to make time to give back to others.  Whatever talents you are blessed with, it is your responsibility to LIFT others to a better place with those talents.  


Happy International Woman's Day.  For me, I am forever grateful to my mother, for being the most fearless, persistent, energetic, humble fighter in the world that I've ever known.  I don't know how she did it - and I can only hope to have some of that fearlessness, persistent energy and humility.  I'm sure there's women in your life that have made an impact on you.  Would love to hear your stories.

Hugs.
Arry