The Rock of My Foundation

by Jack T.

When I think of my mother, the words inner strength, determination and quiet leader come to mind. There are many other words that would suit her equally well. Unconditional love, deep understanding, integrity, selflessness, reflective, accepting … to name just a few.

 When my family was forced to leave our birth country due to political turmoil, my mother took the lead in organizing the move and ensuring that my father and my five siblings were doing well. We arrived in our new country without knowing the language or culture and without a job for my father. My mother’s strength of character and dogged determination to make this work spoke volumes about her.

It was not until I was older that I realized the important role my mother played in our lives. She sacrificed everything to ensure that we would succeed in our new home. She did this through sheer grit and by adhering to her core values about love for our family. To this day, my siblings and I are guided by what she passed along to us and we have all lived productive lives. For this and much more, I thank my mother – the rock of my foundation.