5 Things I Learned From My Mom

It's my brithday this week, and the thought occurred to me that rather than celebrating myself, maybe I should celebrate the woman who actually did all the work on that day, my mom!

Here are 5 things she has taught me over the years that I hope I pass down to my kids:

1. Have a Sense of Humor:  You know when someone says something funny and you are laughing really hard, and the other person is laughing hard, and you keep making eye contact - which makes you both laugh harder?

There are tears forming in your eyes.  Then you think of something REALLY funny but........you can't......say anything because you are laughing too hard....  It starts to HURT in your chest...   ....you...can't...breathe.  O shit - stop.   Catch your breath.  Breathe...  Uh-oh more eye contact.  Now you are laughing uncontrollably again.  This goes on for about 10 minutes.

It's one of the best feelings in the world.  In my family, it happens a lot.

2. Cultivate Great Friendships:  Having a sense of humor attracts you to people who like to laugh.  Laughter bonds people.  Those bonds require nurturing.  My mom has so many great friends, from every phase of her life; growing up in San Francisco, highschool, teaching, and the great people we've met from our years at St. Christophers.  My mom spends countless hours in conversations with these people, most importantly in their times of greatest need.  That's the mark of a really great friendship - when you are there for a person at their lowest points - ready to listen, advise, and hopefully laugh.

3. Get Outside: My mom refers to the television as the "idiot box".  Growing up, she would randomly enter the room, shut it off and declare, "Stop watching the idiot box and get outside".  Thank god she did that.  It resulted in many things; an interest baseball, skateboarding, bicycling, good judgement born of some bad decisions, and just a general love for being outdoors. 

4. Revere Teachers:  When I was in the third grade, there was an infamously strict teacher named Mrs. Camerra.  Parents activly lobbied to keep their kids out of her class.  My mom did the opposite - she got me in.  Early on in that year, it was clear to me that my mom was aligned with Mrs. Camerra, not me.  She empowered that woman to set me right.  I got in trouble a lot.  On the last day of the year, I hand delivered a gift to her and thanked her for being a great teacher.  I'll never forget Mrs. Camerra.

5. Don't Be Afraid To Engineer Your Life Around Your Family:  Many people don't know my mom pioneered job sharing for teachers in the Sunnyvale School District.  Job sharing is when two teachers tag team one class.  It was a great innovation that gave her more time to spend with her family.  It also took and incredible amount of extra work.  Every Wednesday night my mom and her partner would spend hours coordinating and planning the activities for the upcoming week.  In the end I really believe those students god a 2X better education, plus we got more time with Mom.

Some great lessons that have enriched my life beyond anything I could have expected.  Thanks Mom, I love you.