In Celebration of My Leading Lady

The most significant lesson I learned from my mom was to not rely on my ex-fiance to be responsible and dependable. Instead of accepting my mom's generosity to remain in her home, after graduating from a technical institute, I moved in with my boyfriend at his mother's house. I regret this choice. Yet, I needed to learn to care for myself. It wasn't too long after this choice that I burned out driving forty minutes to work one way. After a brief stint in Hollywood, Florida, I made my way to Tucson, Arizona where my mom allowed me to live with her, again.

Advice from my mom that I hold dear and carry with me is to gain an education. My mom paid for my associate's degree, which I obtained after high school. She didn't want her four daughters to work in a meat factory, which was where she had worked. Gaining an education is excellent advice. I didn't locate satisfying employment after receiving a bachelor's degree, yet an educational foundation provided me with the ability to overcome obstacles whether psychologically or practically. Education has allowed me to communicate my needs and set boundaries with others.

When my youngest sister got accepted to the University of Arizona, my boss mom moved across the country. The move from Pennsylvania to Arizona allowed my sister to receive in-state tuition. My sister graduated summa cum laude, and I made the director's list and distinguished honors. My two older sisters have, also, gained a higher education. One of them served in the Army so that she could afford nursing school, and the other studied archeology and massage therapy.

As a Tiger, in the Chinese zodiac, my mom's strength knows no limit. She persevered through a divorce and guided and provided her daughters at the same time. She never remarried or dated after the divorce. When she needed a car to get to work, she asked a local church. The church provided her with one, which kept a roof over our heads and food on the table.

When I moved in with my mom, after Florida, she prepared a bedroom for me in her house by tiling the floors and painting the walls in a Japanese style. The style was because I had studied martial arts. She, also, purchased a bedroom set and gave me books for comfort, healing, and inspiration. She is the most generous and kind person I know.

When I was on a psychiatric ward, she visited me. She brought me clothes and a magazine discussing the benefits of drinking tea. We played dominoes during the visit. I wish I had been in a better place to remember our conversation. She, once again, supported me after discharge from the hospital. One other time when I was on a psychiatric ward. She had a lawyer prepare a Power of Attorney for her and my sister because without it she couldn't get any information about where I was from the hospital staff.

She was a nurse before retirement. An education she had gained after the divorce. She would invite me along to Christmas parties with her coworkers and friends. These parties allowed me to escape isolation because I was friendless. Nurses are the best and most kind-hearted people I know. My boss mom's sister is a nurse and her mother was, also.

Although I no longer live with my mom, she continues to support my spiritual growth. She took me to Mexico City to listen to a spiritual teacher. We visited cathedrals and rode on the top of a double decker bus. She paid my travel expenses to take a flight to India and purchased me the appropriate attire for the region. While there, we rode in small motorized carts around the dirt streets of Vrindarvan to purchase clay pots for the plants she loves to grow. She introduced me to the history behind statues and sacred places. She is an amazing lady.