Today’s blog is a celebration of moms.
I have an amazing mom, Rosemarie. She grew up in
Philadelphia, attending a Catholic school for girls. They were told they could aspire
to be secretaries or nurses.
She didn’t accept that.
She became a doctor at a time when women weren’t welcome in
the profession. Adding to that, she gave birth to me while in medical school at
the Medical College of Virginia. I picture how hard it was for her to do this
in an environment that wasn’t friendly toward women in the first place. Not
only did she give birth during medical school, but she graduated early!
Prior to medical school, she went to college at Villanova
University where only a few women were on campus and even fewer in the
chemistry department. The school said that college sports were only for men.
She didn’t accept that.
In fact, Rosemarie helped to start the women’s basketball
program at the school. She and her friends did what the athletic department
should have done, scheduling the games, fundraising and organizing all aspects
of the team. She goes back for the Villanova alumni games and plays against
young ladies who are a foot taller and five decades younger.
Mom, you are an amazing person! You always put your children
ahead of yourself, and continue to do so as a grandmother. Thank you for
marking “none of the above” when presented with the limited choices of what you
could do and who you could be.
I also have an amazing mom through my marriage, Susie. She
grew up outside of Tuba City and also faced significant moments in her life
where as both a woman and as a Dine’ person, people told her that her options
were limited.
Susie didn’t accept that, becoming a star on the basketball
court and in the classroom. Today, she continues to advocate for her community,
to ask the hard questions of leaders when everyone else is silent. She stands
up for protecting Dine’ Bikeyah (Navajo Land) from commercial interests.
Mom Susie, you are an amazing person! I am honored to be your
son.
And then I turn to my wife Shannon who I get to see
mothering our children every day. I hear from others on a regular basis how
much they admire you, how you hold yourself as a Dine’ woman, leader, knowledge
keeper, mentor, friend, and mother.
Shannon, you are an amazing person! Thank you for allowing
me to be at your side for these past two decades.
Take time to show the moms and mother figures in your life
how much they mean to you this weekend. And next week. And every day beyond that.
A picture of mom and dad on the day she graduated from medical school. Baby Anthony is asking, via my facial expressions in the pic, "Does this mean I have to become a doctor too??"
