If you know my mother at all, you know her favorite things in life are black coffee and anything chocolate, Home Goods and Lord & Taylor, oldies music and the Sunday funnies, her friends and family — especially her two daughters and five grandsons (her husband and sons-in-law pull a close second. Sorry, guys). She’s a devoted grandmother who drives three hours to Pennsylvania for 24-hour visits on the regular, always with cupcakes and some new kitchen gadget that she “thought [I] might like” in hand. She’s a supportive mother who lets me vent without judgement, complain without correction and brag without limitation. And she’s a faithful wife who has survived over 49 years of marriage and almost as many years of coaching with my dad. She’s not without her flaws, but I wouldn’t trade her anything — on most days, anyway.
I’ve written in the past about my mom and identified the traits I’ve inherited from her — everything from her hair color and big hips to the inability to tell a succinct story. I’ve also received sage advice and useful life skills from her, like how to pluck my eyebrows, make sauce (although I’ve since altered the recipe to accommodate food allergies/sensitivities) and where to find the best deals. But some teachings go deeper than basic hair removal and savvy shopping tips; They offer life lessons worth their weight in gold. Here are the five that resonate with me the most:
- Lick the spoon. When cooking, baking or making chocolate milk … It’s the best part. Translation: Treat yourself and do what makes you happy.
- Dress the part. Even if you’re not the best tennis player (runner, yogi, etc.), you can still look cute in the outfit. My interpretation: Be confident in who you are.
- Never arrive empty-handed. A small gesture goes a long way. Meaning, be kind and generous to others.
- Your house, your rules; My house, my rules. Decoded as setting and respecting boundaries, both your own and others.
- Try your best and know that you’re doing a better job than you think you are. No explanation needed, just words to live by. #believeinyourself
Is Grace Dewey the next Tony Robbins? Not exactly, but she is one smart cookie. I’m not gonna lie … She can also be a hot mess and a huge pain in my ass at times (thus the short, 24-hour visits), but her heart is usually in the right place. Today is her 75th birthday and Thursday is Thanksgiving — what better week to tell the blogosphere how wonderful my mom is and how grateful I am to have her?
Happy Birthday, Mom! Chocolate cake and Motown to celebrate tomorrow when I see you.
– LJDT
Love this! Maybe she’s the next Martha but with more spunk😆
Dear Lauren, Such lovely words to describe your Mom.
As a longtime friend, I would be remiss if I failed to add that over the years she has been more than kind, thoughtful and generous to those of us who have benefitted from her loyalty. If you stay away from asking how her car is running and the thousandth retelling of Sonny stories, you will discover a near perfect human being and I sense you are quite proud to be her daughter …….Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours! Love, Mrs. Percival❤️❤️
Thank you, Mrs. Percival for the kind words. I’ll be sure to share them with her — and I know she is delighted to have you as her longtime friend. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family as well.
Thanks Honey!!
Loved your comments about your mom. I adore her! She is a wonderful friend and one of the kindest women I know