It's Mother's Day: Tell Us About Your Mothers and Older Women Mentors
Whether it was the mother who raised you, or the people over the course of a lifetime who have filled the role of a "mother figure," there are probably a lot of older women who have done amazing things to help nurture you into the person you are today. Want to give them a virtual standing ovation? Tell us about them, in the comments!
The "BroadMinded: Women Over 40 Variety Show" featured professional performers, but I (Revolva) also spent an emcee interlude honoring a woman who did incredible things outside of the spotlight: my own mother, Eileen.
My mom never had the opportunity to finish college. She also never had the opportunity to take dance lessons (she wanted to, as a little girl, but my grandfather was supporting his blind father, homemaker mother—both immigrants from Holland—along with his own family, and couldn't afford lessons).
So my mom worked, along with my dad—to help me do these things. Without a college degree, she kept advancing from a starting secretary at a middle school, to the head secretary of an elementary school, and by the time she retired, she was the top administrative assistant to the superintendent of schools. (My mom is a highly determined, problem solving badass, by the way).
I took dance lessons. I went to college. I became Revolva. Because my mom helped. Although we have very different personalities, and we have weathered some differences about whether "hula-hooping-writer" was a great career choice, I can see a lot of me in her and her in me. So when I turned 40, she flew out to see my show—and I surprised her by having her perform with me.
Photo by RJ Johnson
It was HER dream to be on stage. I'm honored to be carrying that forward, as a result of all the amazing things she did, as the star on her own life path. Cheers to my mom, and to all the moms (and mother figures) out there, who help us become the people we are—because of the people they are. If you feel inspired, tell us about your mother, or about an older woman who may have filled that role for you, in the comments.