Comments on: March is National Women’s History Month

By: Traci Sanders

Traci Sanders — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 19:52:57 +0000

I have been blessed enough to have many influential women in my life. I believe everyone, especially women, is put on this earth to touch someone’s life in some way. God created women to be nurturers and caregivers and the many women are that and so much more these days. My mother was the best mom a girl could have. We didn’t have a lot of money growing up but we never suffered in the love department. My mama was always busy taking care of kids so I had to grow up pretty quickly and take care of myself, but I have never shunned her or blamed her for that because I have always been independent, goal-oriented, and fairly successful at things I was interested in. I give everything I care about 110% and never let anyone tell me I can’t do something. In a way, though she wasn’t always able to be there for my every moment in person, in spirit she was always there.
Another great lady I was blessed enough to meet about 16 years ago is my husband’s grandmother, Margaret Kirkhart (and mine because I claimed her the moment I met her). She is such a wise woman of, at times, very few words but that is because she is teaching by saying nothing at all. Her silence can speak volumes to me because I choose to listen. The biggest compliment she has ever given me is, “Traci, you are a wise woman beyond your years. You actually remind me a lot of myself when I was younger.” She is the center of her family and loves to be surrounded by her family. She doesn’t take a single day for granted and loves to seize life every chance she gets. She stayed married to a man who tried to control her and keep her from being who she was many times, but “who she was” is a woman who stayed married to this man and loved him ’til the day he died (and even still to this day) and became a better and wiser woman for it. I am always ready to learn something new about being a better mom, friend, daughter, and woman from this truly inspirational lady by listening to her stories. I cry many nights thinking about how one day I won’t be able to hear those words in my ears anymore when she leaves this world but I will always keep them in my heart.

By: TERESA MCDANIEL

TERESA MCDANIEL — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 16:42:55 +0000

i love this! my Mom had pancreatic and liver cancer. she was rarely ever sick ,always healthy. she was an only child, so to make up for it she had 8, 7 girls 1 boy. she didnt have a lot, money wise, but she was proud of her family, making sure we were taken care of . she didnt get to have treatments the cancer was too advanced . mom never met a stranger nor was she ever predjudiced . she loved and helped everyone . my dad had bad accident and broke all his bones and was in a body cast for a year .dr said he would not walk again, but mama said he would. she taught him how to walk again .so patient and loving.she was always there for him .they clebrated their 63rd anniversary in march1989 . a few months later in aug we found out she had cancer . i remember when daddy had to send her to nursing home he cried like a baby she had never been apart from him . when she was fading away she would be so brave and hold on telling us she was getting better , but we knew she wasnt . two weeks before her passing she told daddy im coming home in 2 weeks , we thought she meant dads home but she meant heaven and sure enough to the day she went home peaceful .she was 81 dad passed 8yrs later at 91 . all of their children are still living as of this date mama was a great example of love, faith. kindness and joy. her favorite thing was to grow vegetable gardens.

By: Candace Hunt

Candace Hunt — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:15:45 +0000

In my life the woman that made the most difference was my beautiful red headed Mama, Pamela Stovall Richey. My mother was an amazing person. She was the only girl of a family of 7 children. She grew up in a close knit family and was best friends with her mom (my grandmother). Mama always stood out in a crowd. When everyone else wore sneakers, my Mama had on her high heels. She was always a lady! Mama was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma of the tonsil and neck in 1990 while she was expecting my little sister, April. The pregnancy was induced six weeks early so Mama could go ahead and start her treatment of radiation. When her first round of radiation treatment was finished they were really excited because they had caught it early and the cancer was no longer there. Over the next ten years Mama went through going in and out of remission with her cancer. The last time they told her that the cancer had returned they only gave her 6 months to a year to live. Mama lived for a little over a year and did she ever live!! She lived until the day she died which was such an inspiration to me. I rarely saw Mama lay around feeling sorry for herself. She fought like a girl and was the best Mom possible! She actually went shopping and cooked dinner the day before she died. She had a heart of gold. She always wanted to do for others and never herself. She loved to find bargains. She loved shopping. She loved cooking. She loved to see her children and family happy. She was the glue that held our family together and we will never be the same without her. We lost my beautiful Mama ten years ago. The last thing she said to me was this : “I was hard on you during your life because I knew that you would have to be strong. I’ve been tough on you because I wanted you to be tough. I love you and you are everything to me”. I’ve never forgotten those words and they stay with me daily. She will always be in my heart. She was my best friend and my life was so blessed because of her. The old saying I’d rather have ten minutes of wonderful than a whole lifetime of nothing special fits my relationship with my Mama to a “T”. I only got to have her in my life for the first 20 years but I wouldn’t trade it for the world. I wish everyone could have a Mama like I did and I pray daily that I can someday fill her shoes to my own children.

By: Oana Hogrefe

Oana Hogrefe — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 15:16:25 +0000

I am realizing as I begin to type this that I grew up in a man’s society. My mother was a constant loving, caring presence and as such has influenced my life. I have trouble thinking of a sigular female role model, though, especially during my early years. Off to be that for my daughter!

By: G.

G. — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 22:21:40 +0000

…odd, it didn’t email your posting. Do I need to sign-up again?

As for the most influential woman in my life, I’m afraid my answer is probably as cliche as any southern fellows SHOULD be: dear old mom. Staunchly opinionated, deeply spiritual, and as well ground in her southern roots as the next gal, I was blessed in her. We don’t always see eye-to-eye, and we have our share of missteps, sometimes, but I could have done much, much worse.