Saying my mom is old school, is stating the obvious. Like water, being wet. Most of her childhood was spent hauling water and using an outhouse on a farm east of Petoskey. She truly did walk a half mile, in several feet of snow, to catch the bus. I grew up on that same farm, but we had indoor plumbing. Still, it was no slight task to maintain 80 acres, and my Mom was the boss. From keeping the necessary cordage of wood, split and cut for the winter months, to maintaining a fence line for the horses, she was there, keeping my Dad and I in line and always working the hardest. She was tough, but fair, and as an only child, she spoiled me. The core values she taught me by observation alone took years to sink in but to this day are most important to me: work hard, don't quit and keep it simple.
She's retired in Georgia now, but caught a plane North last week to see me. The gratitude I have for her consistent love for me, is immeasurable and never enough. She has never given up on me and always pushed me to get back on that horse. And seeing her was a nice reminder that it's all gonna be OK.
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