I’m late with this post. I still teach university but sometimes technology defeats me. I thought this post was scheduled and published—it wasn’t. When I tried to enter my website to fix it, I got locked out. (I apparently forgot one space or punctuation in the required stringer.) Now I’ve saved that correct stringer address in three fail-safe places. Thanks for your patience!
Let’s pretend this blog did post near Mother’s Day and we’re not so far past that date for this to have mean something now.
The ground rules for being a good mom, or a good teacher (or good most anything) are similar and apply to industry greats and government leaders, too.
The best moms, educators, and employers dispense instructions clearly and in manageable doses so those receiving them can succeed. It’s vital to structure tasks so learners can achieve small daily successes to eventually master larger successes.
Growing up in Vancouver, Washington, I loved the 1928 memorial bronze statue of Oregon Trail pioneer mother, Esther Short, in the park named for her. She sheltered her children and helped them take root and thrive in the new land she and her husband had led them to. I loved that statue and am sure it inspired me as I wrote my first two historic novels on true WWII events occurring on the nearby Columbia River. Later, I drew from her pioneer courage as I wrote Wilderness Wife, presenting Marguerite McLoughlin, wife to Fort Vancouver founder, Dr. John McLoughlin, who together established the foundations of my home town.
Not just on Mother’s Day but every day, let’s honor the moms and leaders who extend their hands to point the way and lead us on. May our lives and legacy speak as profoundly to our generation and beyond.
In closing, a dear friend passed away far too soon. It’s hard to describe the impact his life has had on so many, but this fitting quote at his memorial service is also how I’d love to be remembered. What about you?
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