Today, January 15th, is the date on which my mother, Martha Laurance, passed away in 2006. She was a great person and I miss her every single day. I share this with all of you because the anniversary of her passing has me thinking about the important role mothers play in our lives and in building strong families.
For me, my Mother’s influence in my life is immeasurable. She was the one who held me accountable for my actions, who stressed the importance of serving others and who made me believe that I could accomplish great things.
I could talk about my Mom all day long but I wanted to reach out to the Beechwood Community to hear what you all had to say about your Moms. Here is a sampling of what you shared with me:
Students
“She drives us everywhere and cleans and cooks without getting mad.” -Jean Carlos Gomez (7th)
“She’s as sweet as a honey bee. She’s tall and helps me with my chores.” -Argelia Tinajero (5th)
“She supports me in every single way. If I do something wrong, she tells me why it is wrong.” -Telesia Langi (5th)
“I love my Mom. Sometimes we have our moments, but I love her.” -Adriana Alarcon (7th)
“Every day after school she always has a meal on the table.” -David Gurrola (6th)
“I feel like she would do anything in her power to make my brother and me the happiest kids ever.” -Melissa Mendoza (6th)
Parents
“I am my mother’s daughter – My mother’s legacy of service to others, compassion and dedication to family and community lives on far past the time she was here with us. Whether it be through my life, or the lives of her grandchildren, her life lessons and examples continue to live!” -Michele Vilchez, Mother of Allesandra (K), Adrian (4th), Alynna (7th) and Alex (Alumni)
“My mom is the strength, patience, and perseverance that lives inside of me today. As a child, she made it very clear to my five siblings and I that it wasn’t about where you came from, however emphasized, it was about where you were going. I have never once felt like the poor underprivileged kid from the ghetto who couldn’t do it. With my mom’s support, it was always a matter of when I would do it. I hope that the daughter and sister I am today, the mother and wife I continuously grow into daily, that I will one day fill the shoes of such an inspirational and phenomenal woman. -LaTreece Butler-Morgan, Mother of Ja’san (3rd)
Staff
“My son was very fortunate to have a very special grandmother, my mother. She was always ready to play games with him, read stories and have many interesting adventures. I will be forever grateful to her for enriching his life in so many ways”. –Kathy Connolly
“She taught me how to take care of a home by instituting weekly chores such as: setting the table, clearing the table, emptying the waste baskets, and bringing in the groceries and putting them away. She also taught me how to greet people, stressing the importance of a handshake or a hello. My mother taught me how to cook, and the importance of sitting at the dinner table every night to have a meal together. I love my mom, and if she were alive today, I think she would see that the skills she taught me are alive and well in my own family.” -John Laurance
“My mother was loving towards everyone, generous, courageous, adventuresome, talented, patient and wonderfully funny.” -Valerie Brooke-Wilke
As you can see from these quotes, I am not the only one who has been fortunate enough to have had a wonderful Mom. As we head into this new year, let’s be sure that we are recognizing and appreciating mothers and all they contribute to making families strong.
For more on Moms check out: psychologytoday.com/blog/emotional-fitness/201305/top-10-reasons-why-moms-are-important
-Mr. Laurance