By James B. Ewers Jr. Ed.D.
Mother’s Day is a special day for special people. We love and honor our mothers with a day devoted especially to them. Happy Mother’s Day was celebrated on Sunday, May 12, 2024.
Many of us have celebrated a lot of these days with our moms. We take them out to eat, give them flowers and treat them like royalty.
A mother’s love is unconditional. Simply put, they’ll always love us. While we will have faults along the way, our mothers will be supportive and will be our refuge in times of challenge.
We all have stories about our moms. I have one and so do you. They are filled with laughter, tears, happiness and sadness.
The strength of a mom is undeniable. When we are down and need encouragement, they give us counseling and self-confidence.
My mom passed away many years ago. She left an indelible mark upon my mind and soul.
It is not a day that goes by that I don’t think about her. I wonder what she would do in certain situations and of course I wonder what she would think of me now.
My mother was a registered nurse (RN) in Winston-Salem North Carolina at Kate Bitting Reynolds Hospital. She possessed a kind and gentle spirit which I suspect led her into the healthcare field. While that was her profession, that was only a small part of who she was.
Everyone in our neighborhood knew who Mrs. Mildred Ewers was. There were always people in our house either eating or talking and sometimes both.
My dad respected and loved her because of her persona and the way she made others feel around her. There were other attributes that made her stand out. As I reflect now, our family was proud of her and her accomplishments.
My mom was a BBC (Black Betty Crocker). She was a master in the kitchen preparing meals that were delicious.
Real macaroni and cheese, real biscuits and real pinto beans were dishes that we ate daily. I will say we had leftovers on Monday. She would make some gravy and put on the fried chicken we had on Sunday.
We didn’t go to fast food places. First, there weren’t many of them and lastly, my mom’s food was the best.
She taught me the importance of keeping clean and dressing appropriately as I wore shirts and ties at a very young age. The habit of dressing well has stayed with me throughout my life, and it is because of her.
She always wanted me to look a certain way so that people would know that I came from a home with standards. One of those standards both of my parents instilled in me was how to treat people. They knew that how you treated people would gain you respect. They were right.
I have known for many years that treating people with dignity and respect are fundamental principles in life. People don’t want to know how much you know until they know how much you care.
Education was valued in my home. My mom stressed the importance of having a good education. She believed that having one would lead to having a successful life.
She would tell me on countless occasions you must com- bine having a good work ethic with having a good education.
Having the drive and the determination would shape my ability to get a good job. She was right.
My mom was the greatest. Without her, I would have been a frame without a foundation. I realize as I am in the 4th quarter of my life how truly blessed I was to have her as a mom.
If your mom is living, don’t take her for granted. Don’t say you’ll do it tomorrow because you don’t have time today. Time has a way of slipping up on us because tomorrow is not guaranteed.
This column is dedicated to my mom, Mrs. Mildred Ewers and to my aunt, Mrs. Lois Thacker who gave me the tools for successful living.
Dr. James B. Ewers, Jr. is a longtime educator who hails from Winston Salem, N.C. Ewers is a life member of the NAACP and a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity.
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