When I think of inspirational people, I think of my mom.

Don’t get me wrong.

She’s human and as a human, occasionally she does some things that drive me nuts.

(don’t all mom’s?)  

Of all the people I’ve known over the years, my mom is one that has consistently shown me what it means to have the heart of a champion.  

When my mom was 6 years old she contracted Scarlet fever and lost 95% of her hearing.

She had to re-learn how to talk and communicate with others.

She never learned sign language but she did learn to read lips and that’s how she communicates to this day.

I learned from my friend Amy (also a single mom), that when you have the heart of a champion, it’s harder to quit than it is to keep going.

When my mom lost her hearing, she chose to keep going.

Later on in life, she got married to my dad and had my younger sister and I.

When I was 8 years old, my dad left our family.

My mom was jobless, left with a mortgage to pay on the double wide trailer house our family was living in, and she had 2 kids to feed.

On top of that, she was responsible for paying the car loan on the car my dad drove away in.

I remember as a kid, walking into my moms’ room seeing her on her knees in prayer with tears streaming down her face.

At night, she would sit at the kitchen table with her head in her hands and a look of distress on her face as she calculated the bills she had to pay to keep a roof over my head.

I’ll never forget the day I found her crying in the laundry room.

As an 8 year old kid I asked, “Mom, what’s wrong?”.

‘It’s just so hard Paul,’ she said.

Maybe I should just do something drastic so you and your sister can live off the insurance money.

“Don’t you do that mom” I said.

And with the heart of a champion, she chose to keep going.

She went to a vocational school and learn how to type & run computers.

She got a job (all be-it a low paying job) – >  so she could provide for my sister and I.

And somehow, someway, on a minimum wage paying job, she kept food on the table, and the creditors away.

Even though times were tough, she chose to keep going.

I’m forever grateful for that and for her example.

The #1 reason my mom inspires me is because she has the heart of a champion.

As my friend Amy taught me last week, when you have the heart of a champion, it’s harder to quit than it is to keep going. 

Champions find a way no matter what. 

Champions persist through any and all obstacles, no matter how big.  

And champions,

…come in all shapes, sizes, races, genders and roles.

Here’s to my mom and all the other unsung champions out there who inspire us in life.

Thanks mom!

I love you!

Paul

PS – Who inspires you & why?  I’d love to hear down below.