All moms are amazing, and we asked Club Goodwill REwards members to brag about theirs! The winning entry received a $100 gift card from Massage Envy, as well as a $25 gift card from Goodwill. The runner-up also received a $25 Goodwill gift card.
We hope you enjoy these heart-felt essays. Thank you to all who entered, we appreciate your continued support of Goodwill's mission. Happy Mother's Day!
Winning Entry - Debi G.
When you get to my age (60), it is sad to say that my mother has passed away. It would have been wonderful to have written about what a wonderful mom she was, but instead, I choose to write about someone who has stepped in for my mom.
My dear friend Lorraine, who is 82 years old, landed on my doorstep as a perspective red hat lady (Red Hat Society) for my group. She joined and as the years went on, she became the dearest friend and a mom to me as well. There are things that friends will do ... but she has done things that a mom would do ... and things that I never had the opportunity to have with my own mother. Countless acts of kindness, always an open ear for listening. On my birthday, she invited me over because she had made me a birthday dinner, something I had done many times for my own children.
At a time in my life when I felt that everything around me was caving in ... she was there ... wrapping me in a prayer shawl and holding me as I cried. She has sage advice, a sincere heart and most of all ... love for the taking. I am so grateful to have her in my life as my substitute mom. How amazing it is to have been given such a gift ... a mom to cherish. It may be true that blood is thicker than water... but such a kinship and special soul is a miracle ... and Lorraine is mine.
Runner-Up - Allison M.
A mother is defined as a woman in relation to a child, or children to whom she has given birth, but in reality, a mother is so much more than that. This world is filled with moms: moms with a variety of number of children, a variety of parenting styles, and a variety of love. As cliche as it sounds and as bias as you think this statement may be, I have the best mother in the entire world. However, I am here to justify a rationale for you. As the third and youngest child in the family, I was always very close to my mom. And as the youngest in the family, by 7 years, I firmly believe that the news of my parents divorce hit me the hardest. I couldn’t fathom the thought of my two favorite people on this earth living apart, and splitting up what I thought to be a wholesome, healthy household.
Throughout the following years, the divorce was still a sore subject for me. My dad had moved, and became distant from my brother, sister, and I. My mom stepped up as a single mom, taking over the daily routine on her own, and holding the remainder of the household together. Despite having two breast cancer scares, a house to manage by herself, a dog with never ending energy, and three crazy kids, she never missed a single sporting event, school function, or family affair. Looking up into the crowd from the court or track, there was my mom: my biggest cheerleader, my number one fan. When I went down with two torn ACLs resulting from basketball, my mom was the one who wiped my tears, held my hand through a year of physical therapy, and walked me through each milestone to make sure I was able to get back doing what I loved. Her loving, nurturing personality must come from being a nurse, and always having that will to help someone in need. I look up to her in so many ways, it’s incredible. However, as much of a role model as she is to me, her charisma, strength, and powerful personality enlightens the lives of so many others. She puts her heart of gold into whatever she’s doing, yet never puts herself first. My mom is not just someone defined as someone in relation to me. She is the kind of person that enriches lives, and cherishes her children more than anything. For that, I am forever grateful in being able to call her my mom-the best mom in the world.
