We’ve had the experience of life to know of greatness. JFK, Bobby Kennedy, Martin Luther King, Jean Beliveau, and our mother. Some may wonder if that is a statement of boasting sons. Not at all. Shortly after my brother was born, my father suggested that my mother stop working and stay home. She did, while he educated himself , worked two jobs, and advanced his way up the corporate ladder. Some would think that was tough. Let us tell you. My mom had to look after my brother and I. Sure we were cute at first. At first. We learned quickly that our father could wield a belt, our mother could wield words. “Wait until your father gets home“. My brother and I respected our dad, our mother taught us that. Our dad could be very serious, and always demanded our best effort. Our mother woke us up with song. She taught me how to wake up with a smile and she taught my brother how to pull the blankets over his head. Our father taught us how to be behave like a man. Our mother taught us to stand up for ourselves and each other. Our father taught us how to work to make money. Our mother taught us how not to spend it. Our father ensured we knew what family meant. Our mother taught us how to be one. When something needed to be done our father made sure we knew what it was. When it was done our mother made sure we knew it was appreciated. Our father provided a roof over our heads, our mother provide us with our southern Baptist nick names. “Billy Bob dam you two“. When I came home with a pet rat our father built it a cage, our mother wanted it out of the house. When the rat died, my mother cried for days. She loved that rat. Some may think our father was the master of the house. That maybe true, but our mother was it’s heart and soul. If they were still where today he’d look you straight in the face and say “you’re dam right she was“. Our mother would just smile. My brother and I will both tell you that our father taught us all the skills a father teaches he’s sons. How to throw a ball, how to skate, how to build something. Our mother taught us how to laugh, smile, love and live. Since the passing of our father 22 years ago, many people have told us how great person he was. We know how he got that way. The greatness he had in our mother standing with him every step of the way, gave him the chance to be what we was. It was something my brother and I never understood as those cute kids. During the last 18 months it is something we came to fully understand. Although she knew what the future had in store for her, she had more concern for everyone else. Grandkids, family, and friends. She was always an eager to know if people were well and happy. When it was time for her, she was concerned she was being a bother. It took repeatedly telling her that the time had come for my brother and I to return a life time of what she had given to us. On our trips up and down that highway we laughed, we talked, we smiled, and we loved. So you can see my brother and I are not boasting sons. We’re are proud ones. Not only for knowing the greatness of our mother, but for being blessed to be raised, nurtured, love and moulded by it.