I am so fortunate to still have my mother and I am more grateful every year for her wisdom, stories and courage. 

My mother read to us every day, giving us all a love of good literature and poetry. With five brothers the poetry was never the "April showers and May flowers" kind of poetry, it was blood and guts and heroism. Robert Service, the poet laureate of Alaska, was a favorite with his poems of war, and the struggles of life and death in the Yukon. There was Rudyard Kipling's poems of war and valor and then, she'd throw in a little Ogden Nash for humor. 

She always felt she had spent many lifetimes as a mercenary soldier and this lifetime with a large family ( nine children) was either her punishment or reward...depending on the day. I could easily picture her taking up a saber and fighting a war in some obscure part of the world, but she fought for justice closer to home. She boldly fought for equality (segregation was very real) ,she stood up to the medical field ( she was anti vaccine) and fiercely faced teachers (felt too much homework interfered with our home life and chores). She was the one who meted out the punishment (paddling was still allowed in those days) and still baked more cookies than she cares to remember.

To this day, she could not exit an elevator without leaving a lively conversation or a fist fight...maybe a bit of an exaggeration,but not much. She can quote more scripture from at least three different holy books than most religious leaders....yet remains fiercely atheist. 

I am the exact opposite of her, but she has been the greatest influence on my life. She has been blind for years and will not be reading these words, but....

Thank you, Mom