My Hero

My mom, my hero.Original work.      Heroes come in many different shapes, sizes, and backgrounds. Some heroes you know personally and some you admire from a distance. I have been blessed to have been raised by my hero. My hero is my mom. Being a mom is hard work, something I never really understood until I became a mother myself. Now that I am raising two very active, young boys, I realize how much my mom loved me. My mom was always there cheering for me at every practice, sports game, ceremony, and school function you could imagine. She has always been my biggest cheerleader. I love that about her. I love that she will pick up the phone at all hours of the day and just listen to me rant on when I've had a bad day. When I was younger, she would take me shopping and we would enjoy a special treat together even after she had worked a long day. She was able to balance life's responsibilities while also still making me feel like a priority. When my mom was diagnosed with cancer, she never let her illness get her down, or at least she never let me see her struggle. My mom fought cancer with all that she could and was able to walk away a victor! I was able to watch her overcome one of the most horrific diseases with such strength, grace, and faith. Another part of my mom that I admire is her faith in God. She says that her faith is what got her through the dark moments of the disease. It is this admirable faith that she has passed down to me and it has also made a huge impact on my life as well.

      I grew up in a Seventh Day Adventist, Christian home. Church and God were a cornerstone of my family dynamic growing up, and yet, I didn't fully understand it until my mom decided to accept His love and forgiveness over her life and was baptized at our church. I remember the emotionally overwhelming and exceptional moment when she chose to follow God and fully embraced His will for her life. In that moment, I knew that my life was forever changed as well. Because of my mom's decision of faith, I decided to give my life to Christ as well. My walk with God has not always been perfect, yet as I learn and pull closer to Him, things become much clearer. I know that when life starts to feel heavy and overbearing, it is time to pull back, dive into my Bible, and plug into a small group at my church. My beliefs have strengthened me. It is because of my faith that I feel better equipped to handle the challenges in life, and this is all because of the exceptional example my mom provided for me.

      My mom is my biggest supporter and she has always encouraged me to follow my dreams. I have always wanted to be a teacher. My mom was right there with me filling out college applications and student loan forms when it was time to choose a university and decide what I wanted to do with my life. She gave me the support and courage I needed to finish college and pursue my dream of becoming a teacher. I was the first in my family to finish college, and my mom always says that she is so proud of all that I have accomplished. Although, the truth is, I never would have been able to reach my goals without her by my side. Now, I love being a teacher! I love learning and the whole concept of growing academically. I truly believe that God put me on this Earth to reach out and motivate other young scholars. I feel that my purpose in life is to encourage students like my mom did for me. I want to inspire them. I want to cultivate a thirst for knowledge that allows them to challenge and explore their world, to grow in their faith, and to find truth and solidity in life from a Christian perspective.

My mom has been my foundation, my role model, and even my place of comfort in times of need. I am so blessed to have her in my life. A mother's love is a selfless love--a love that you give without expectation, or even at times, without reciprocation. My mom is my hero and I hope that I can be at least half as great as her for my own children.