As I remember my mother on Mother’s Day, I think of all she taught me by her actions.
Every week we would walk three miles to the library where she introduced me to the fascinating world of books. I was amazed to see the many books available to be taken home and enjoyed. To this day I love to read.
She took me to church and told me about God and the saints. After her parents died, she was raised by the nuns in Ireland, and faith was an integral part of her life.
When she came to the U.S. as a young woman, she got a job as a domestic/laundress. Cleanliness was ingrained in her. I remember her scrubbing the kitchen floor on her hands and knees every week.
She had a self-taught education that came from listening to the radio and reading books and newspapers. While she ironed, she listened to talk shows from New York where she learned about nutrition, finances, to what was playing on Broadway.
She had a tender heart for anyone who was suffering and visited the sick in their homes or the hospital.
My mother helped me become the person I am today by the values she gave me. As you think of your mother this Mother’s Day, honor the values she has given you.
—Bernadette R. Gentry