This past weekend I got a bit of a scare. It wasn’t as serious as what could have developed, but my soul was still jolted. I won’t divulge any details since I know better, but this particular blog is dedicated to my Mom.
I could paint a picture of my Mom to be the equivalent of June Cleaver, but then I’d be using the wrong brushes, June Cleaver she is not.
For starters she’s always been a working Mom, and never just a domestic engineer. She logged over 20 years of her professional life with the same company and lasted through various buyouts and mergers, until finally retiring on her own terms. Over the years she received numerous “Perfect Attendance” awards despite the number of times I ended up in the emergency room for some newly invented accident! She persevered in her position, and took personal pride in her duties. She had a nice area in a majestic building, but more importantly created lasting friendships with the “Aunties.” Those friendships are evidence that she was a team player, a motivator, and dependable associate.
Cooking was never her forte to say the least. I recall my brother’s kindergarten class putting together a book of all the children’s reasons why they love their Mommies as a project celebrating Mother’s Day. I cannot share with you verbatim his quote but it went something like this, “I love my Mommy especially when she cooks hot dogs and pork and beans!” We all chuckled not at his innocence, but as his preciseness. My Mom could cook anything with cabbage, and if she had to do it two weeks in a row, the cabbage was replaced with bean sprouts. I learned to use A LOT of ketchup during those meals. I must note though, that she does cook an onolicious spaghetti!
To say that my Mom sacrificed for her children would minimize her efforts; everything she did, every decision she made, every dollar she earned was to provide for the four of us. There were four biological children, but somehow our house was always full with anyone who needed a place to call home, and if you recall in my earlier blog, there weren‘t very many bedrooms to be assigned. My cousin Jason is like a brother to me since his Mom (my Mom’s sister) worked either the swing or graveyard shift at one of the local hotels. My cousin Amber became another younger sister since her parents too were trying to establish themselves out there in the corporate world. We also had Theo Adams, one-time University of Hawaii football star, living with us until he completed his education and later moved to the mainland to play for the San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks until ending his football career in the World Football League. When Dole Pineapple began downsizing in the early 80’s, Aunty Tina and Al came to live with us too. My Mom was gracious enough to open our home to everyone, and during the times when we would complain she would sit us down and tell us, “Be grateful, appreciate what you have…and KNOCK IT OFF!”
My Mom attended all of our activities as youths and adults, she’s still a spectator at my basketball games cheering me on as the coach! I remember as a teenager being thrown out while attempting to steal second and my poor attitude had me walking ever so slowly off of the field. Well, by the time I hit the dugout, there was my Mom and she said, “You better…KNOCK IT OFF!”
I have learned so much from my Mom. She has provided me with a blueprint to have a successful career, a successful relationship, a clean home, sincere friends; but most importantly to be a good person.
To paint a picture of my Mom to be the equivalent of June Cleaver would be wrong, she’s more of a mixture of Roseanne Connors, Claire Huxtable, Judge Judy and Oprah Winfrey, ah what am saying, she’s better than that too…different.
Now I’m sure I’ll get emails about my tributes to my Dad, but to blog about him wouldn’t do him justice, he deserves a hardcover book!
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September 28th, 2007 at 8:45 am
gOOD JOB! VERY INSPIRATIONAL!