THINGS MY MOTHER GOT RIGHT--by Diane Webb

She never told me I couldn't be what I wanted to be
(for Halloween or when I grew up)

She made my birthday and every Christmas special

She never said I couldn't have seconds, thirds or as much as I wanted to eat

She made sure I had a good education and valued learning

She taught me to never pass up an opportunity to learn or grow

She never said "I told you so" when she could have many, many times

She gave me freedom to be myself even when it had to be extremely annoying to her

She let me learn lessons the hard way but only when I insisted

She made sure I knew that being a female was not a handicap or barrier to success in any way

She made me believe I was just as important as anyone else in the world

She taught me I was no better or no worse than others regardless of wealth, social status, or race

She taught me that money did not define people's value or determine success

She taught me to fight for those who could not or would not fight for themselves

She did not allow me to give up or stop because I had failed or had made a terrible mistake

She did not let me know when we were poor

She made our meals wonderful even when she couldn't buy groceries

She put herself in debt sometimes to make sure I had things I wanted but did not really need

She made everything fun even when it was work

She always tried to give me a better chance and a better life than she had

She taught me to never back down and to always stand my ground for what I believed in

She taught me that "right is right and wrong is wrong all over the world"

She taught me that mothers are mothers because they are mothers and not because they will be understood, appreciated, or respected for it

She showed me what it really means to love someone "for better or worse, in sickness and in health, and for richer or poorer" (which applied to us children as well as our father)
I am so thankful to have had such a smart, strong, capable woman as a role model