Day 3 (Posted On Day 4) This Post Is For My Mother

My mother is a beautiful woman. And she always has been.
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When I was very, very little she was a beautiful college student. She attended Friends University in Wichita, KS in the early 60s and received her degree in education.
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Interesting that I'm writing this post as I am waiting to begin my certification exam to become an instructor...in Wichita, KS. I guess this apple hasn't fallen very far from the tree.
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Yesterday on my lunch break I went to the Friend's campus. Not far from Wichita Fire Department station #1. It was cold...and windy. And they has some crazy bad Christmas decorations on the front lawn. Imagine a blowup Purell bottle...the size of a car. Yeah, bad like that.
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But I had a picture in my mind. A picture of a very young woman. On a very important day. The day she graduated from college.
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You see...in the early 60s, not many women went to college. My mother was a pioneer. She was walking through some doors that were just opening for her. She wanted her life to have meaning and purpose.
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I wonder if she thought about me on that day? And her children yet to be born? Did she know she was empowering us to be the best we could be? To chase our dreams? To not let distractions derail us from our goals, our purpose?
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A picture was taken that day. This young, educated woman. This college graduate. Leaning up against a tree with the Friends University building in the background.
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It is my favorite picture of my mother.
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I don't know if this is that tree. But I know I have felt her strength this week. Her example set for me before I even knew I needed it.
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Thank you Mom. For always trying to be the best you you could be. So I can always try to be the best me I can be.
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PS...whew...I had no idea that was where this post was going. And I bawled all the way through it. Love you, Mom...now go get on that treadmill!