With Mother’s Day right around the corner (Sunday, May 13; don’t forget!), we wanted to gather the best advice from our own EDENS’ community.
Here are 17 pieces of advice we hold dear:
Rachel S., Columbia: “It really isn’t how many times you get knocked down, it’s how many times you get back up. Just keep getting back up, and try it a different way until you succeed.”
Norma M.P., DC: “Nothing speaks louder than hard work, education and kindness.”
Jean P., Columbia: “Behave the way we taught you even when you think no one is watching you.”
Kevin K., Boston: “When my first daughter was born my mother said, ‘Remember, they don’t come with an instruction manual.’”
Doris H., Columbia: “My lovely mom will be 84 this year and she’s got one of the best loving souls I know. She was a single mom and I can remember when times were tough, she’d always tell us, ‘Where there’s a will there’s a way,’ and she proved this to us daily. She’d always encourage us to do our best no matter what the task was. I still want to be like her when I grow up or at least have her energy. She’s a saint!”
Meghann K., D.C.: “My mom has a lot of great advice, and raised my siblings and me to be strong individuals. My favorite is ‘If you don’t A-S-K, you’ll never G-E-T.’ She said this first when I was hesitant to go out for a highly regarded travel soccer team. Today, it has stuck with me – to go for what I want, to balance being respectful with being driven – and it always worked out!”
Stephanie W., Columbia: “Growing up and living in New York brought about many ‘different’ instructions regarding riding the train and subway…public transportation, period! One of many favorites is the advice about the mechanics of crossing the street. Mom made every attempt to explain to me that I am to look both ways to make sure nothing was coming, but more importantly she warned me of the Blinking Man. As a kid, you wonder who is the Blinking Man and where did he come from? How was he created and why do I have to listen to him? Through many trials of almost getting hit and almost getting an official ticket for jaywalking, I learned that mom’s advice was the best ever. The Blinking Man was designed to protect me and keep me safe. To this day she still dislikes the way I cross the street!
Catherine B., Charlotte: “My mom always has a powerful quote or anecdote for every situation. One that has stuck with me is ‘Nothing ventured, nothing gained.’ This has always been a good reminder that if you don’t ask for something, you will most likely not get it. You have to speak your truth.”
Greg C., D.C.: “Let your life speak.”
Frances O., Columbia: “Mom always told me to wear nice underwear on a road trip. If there was an accident they would have to cut my clothes off and nobody wanted to see underwear with holes in them. Really, she said that, every time.”
Herbert A., Atlanta: “Remember who you are.”
Lisa M., Columbia: “When in doubt – don’t”
Grace T., D.C.: “My mom always said, ‘Only remember the good.’ It’s a tenent that her dad lived by and he was an inherently positive person. It’s guided me through some hard times and I’d like to think it’s (hopefully) made me more like my grandfather.”
Alden B., Boston: “Change makes change.”
Elias D., Miami: “My mom always told me not to eat yellow snow. I moved to Florida, so I don’t have to worry about it!”
Beth B., Columbia: “Always listen to your gut feelings. They’re usually right.”
Sara B., D.C.: “Bring your light into each room you enter.”
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