Seider Sam Ca 100-028 My Magnificent Mother
Commemorative Speech 12/10/07
You've probably heard the saying that," Behind every good man, there is an even better woman." This sentiment, usually connected with marriage, indicates that wives shape the character of their husbands. And after careful thought, I have come to agree with this opinion. However, I look at it a bit differently. Abraham Lincoln once said, "All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel Mother." This quote by the most influential leader in American history reinsures my belief that the "better woman" behind every "good man" is not necessarily a wife, but a mother. It should not surprise you then that I stand in front of you today, commemorating the woman who has shaped my character, the woman who has made me a young man of integrity. It is with great conviction and the utmost sincerity that I celebrate the life of my mother, Mary Lock. My mother has used her compassion, her humor, and her understanding to positively influence my life and the lives of people around her. I will always remember my mom putting me to sleep when I was little. Every night, while lying in bed, she would sit next to me, rub my head, and read me a story. With her voice as soft as a kiss on the cheek, and her touch as gentle as the breeze on a warm summer day, I would be out cold instantly. This act of kindness, repeated every night, shows her compassion, a compassion that extends far beyond caring for her children at night. So many times I would flip through the mail and read the countless thank you letters for the random acts of kindness my mom would do for other people. For example, every week she volunteers to take the flowers that sit on the altar at our church and deliver them to the elderly people in nursing homes. My mother's compassion is not just shown in specific instances, but rather is shown in the way she lives her life. She makes decisions based on the needs of other people not based on her own
needs. Without a doubt, my mother's compassion greatly impacts me and the people around her. My mom has the heart of a lion. Aside from her compassion, one of my mom's finest qualities is her sense of humor. The term "awkward silence" never really held much weight with me because my mom would never let it happen. She would always point out the irony of a given or situation talk about some oddity she recently read about that would have both of us in stitches. Once again, I must emphasize that her sense of humor not only positively affected me, but also the people around her. Esteemed coworkers and estranged ex-girlfriends alike all cannot wait to point out how funny my mom really is when she comes up in our conversations: "Your mom just makes everything comfortable, she always cracks me up. I love her to death." This quote from a friend just goes to show that my mom does improve the lives of everyone around her. My mom is a magnet for laughter. My mom would also not be who she is today without the staple of her personality-- understanding. Her vocation as a teacher for seventeen years leads me to believe that she would not have survived on the battlefield of middle school without the weapon of understanding. I have listened to her numerous narratives of spiteful students. On many occasions, those students would test her patience and make her want to blow steam out of her ears, but instead of becoming the incredible hulk--out of control and filled with anger, she would don a smile of forgiveness and a voice of tolerance. My mother's understanding reaches beyond the classroom and into our home, something that I, as a mischievous young boy, am incredibly grateful for. Trouble after trouble would come up and, many times, she would dismiss me from punishment because she knew I understood that what I did was wrong. An instance that I remember in particular is when I teased my sister mercilessly and instead of punishing me, she just gave me a look of disappointment. From that day on, it changed the way I treated my little sister. My
mother's understanding in the classroom and in the home has impacted the lives of people around her. My mom is as understanding as Albert Einstein is reading a book. Truly, there is a better woman behind every great man and for me, that woman is my mom. I feel extremely blessed that my mother, a woman of compassion, humor, and understanding has been in my life to shape my character as I mature into a young man. From her compassion, I have become kindhearted. From her humor, I have become witty. From her understanding, I have become patient. All that I am and all that I ever hope to be, I can attribute to my mother. I love her. My mom is my east and my west, my mom is my compass.