A Wise Mother Of Mine

Ever since my childhood, my mother gave me wise advice and counsel that shaped both my childhood and adulthood, but also my characteristic traits and how I act and behave around other people. She also shared with me some of her life experiences she went through and made sure that I didn't make the same mistakes as her.

Also, since my childhood, she taught me to be kind, to show respect to my elders and other people in behavior and speech, to take responsibility for my actions, to share, to be or play fair and square, to be honest, and truthful, when to fulfill your promises, to think before I act or speak, to listen to what other people have to say and to appreciate my friends who they are and everything I have (not to worry or complain about the things that I don't have, compared to anyone else).

As a student and a worker, she taught me to have a good study ethic as well as a good work ethic. If I study hard or smart, I would get ahead in my studies and if I worked hard, then I should work harder than before.

My mom taught me how to prioritize my family, my education, my future that I should work/build hard for, and my time and money because she once told me that time is a precious thing, like money, and it shouldn't be wasted. She also told me to carefully and wisely select a company of friends because some friends have a good influence on you and some don't because a bad company of friends ruins good character traits and your dignity. They unintentionally find trouble out of foolishness and may drag you into it and at one point, betray you. On the other hand, a good company of friends can build up good character traits and can encourage you to stay out of trouble. They showcase loyalty and care about succeeding and helping others find their potential and overcoming hindrances. At the same time, my mother reminded me that leisure and dating/being in a romantic relationship can wait, but my education, job, and volunteering time cannot.

My mom also taught me to take no for an answer when rejected or even if things don't work out in my favor, which did influence me in a good way.

She (my mother) also taught me to help around the house or even at work because I shouldn't rely so much on her to do the house chores. Also, she once taught me that I'll never know how hard someone's work is until I learn to do it myself. Furthermore, I took it into account that one day, I may or may not live on my own, but doing house chores should be deemed as life skills, not gender roles.

My mother taught me about humility, how I should humble myself in all situations, remain calm in the midst of anger, and to at any possibility, refrain from speaking ill about someone and making a bad, unnecessary argument. Also, my mom teaches that people in the world are not getting any younger, they're growing up and old, and the same goes for me. As people grow old, their sight, hearing, and strength diminish, their skin wrinkles and their hair turns gray/grey/silver. Despite that, I should still respect them and be nice to them and realize that the elderly are smarter than they seem and that I too should be patient with them, and my mom taught me to be understanding and compassionate/forgiving towards others, even amid a misunderstanding.

Another piece of advice I learned from my mother is that when I'm around kids, I should be gentle, kind and sometimes, optimistic. She also told me that kids also have feelings and emotions, they can be/feel hurt, made to believe something untrue and, vulnerable to anything or even to anyone.

My mom advised me not to look down on someone, because one day, I may look up to someone. Some kids have special needs and wish to be treated like any other human being. Even their mothers are endlessly fighting to ensure that they too would experience friendship, inclusion, and love, in and outside their families.

Another wise counsel from my mother is to refrain from attending wild parties, avoid bars, casinos discos, and strip clubs because places like these can take a toll on your mental health and your decision making and can become a habit if not aware of any circumstances happening in those aforementioned places. My mom warned against the usage of illegal drugs, alcoholic beverages, and smoking as they're hazardous to a person's physical health.

My mother always reminded me not to give up on myself. She encourages me to give my best and try as much as possible not only in my studies and work but also in life. She also encourages me to be brave, chivalrous, courageous, kind, diligent, loyal, dedicated, curious, intelligent, wise, creative, ambitious, determined, and resourceful, as well as to be a leader.

So you see, the lessons I learned from my mother shaped me to be the person I see myself as in the present and I am grateful that my mother taught me wisely as it's for my own benefit. And I would like to encourage everyone to support all mothers, new/old even married/single mothers, even mothers who have special needs children because they gave birth to us, sacrificed almost anything for us, protected us, and stood by our side since the day you were born and they make it a point that we are taken care of, we learn diverse skills and to make a positive difference for our community. Let's appreciate our mothers and share their testimonies with our loved ones and friends.