My Mama

Since I’ve talked a lot from the heart, it would only be fair to offer up something that is very near and dear to mine. Oddly, the one person I haven’t talked about on this blog.

It’s my Mama’s birthday today.

So I would like to tell you a story about a woman with a 2-1/2 year-old boy, and a 4 year-old daughter. A woman tasked with raising two kids alone, without a lot of resources.

She was a teacher, and had the unusually long working hours teachers are known for. But she was mostly credited with having an audacious capacity to help those around her.

Hired as the Department Chair, she used all her experiences and “know how” to take the Department’s ONE CLASS – their one sapling of a class – and give it some water. She nurtured it.

She used what time was remaining, to attend school herself, night school, ONE night a week. After years of studying and pushing through, she graduated with her SECOND Masters Degree. It was a big accomplishment.

At this time, her program was continuing to grow. Every year more people came through the doors. Every year more people graduated. The school itself was growing and had plans to expand to another campus. One that was closer to home, closer to her “chillins”.

Me and Jessica.

Just that one class had now become a program with multiple classes. That program became the LARGEST department at the college. That one department alone generated over A MILLION DOLLARS in revenue every year. That’s no exaggeration.

Because one day, several years ago, she was diagnosed with cancer and was forced to give it all up. Retire. Just walk away from everything she had ever created. Her life’s work. It felt like giving up.

My Mama showed incredible grace in the face of tragedy that day. And she continues to do so as she wages the fight of her life today. To even begin to try and articulate the amount of courage and strength she has is impossible.

Mom, You have raised two very different, and equally good people. I’ve never been afraid to be me, or where I am in a particular moment, because of your example. I am a living, breathing, louder version of you. I firmly believe I have the passion for life and the ability to try anything, regardless of others judgment because of the example you set.

I live loud. I live full. I live big, because of you.

I’m not afraid. Because of you.

It’s just impossible to thank you.

I love you so very much.

“Timmer”