A Mother’s Love
Recognizing Moms of All Kinds

Illustration by Felicia Lankford| VOX Staff

By Jasmine Kelly
VOX Staff

I was crying hysterically and confused. I was in the second grade and had just gotten into a huge misunderstanding with my teacher, who started yelling at me. Before I could even finish explaining what happened to my mother, she grabbed my hand and insisted that we go back to my school to straighten things out. She told me, “You can always come talk to me.” It was amazing how she took charge of the situation and made me feel better.

That’s when I realized how fortunate I am to have my mother by my side. Not all teens have moms in their lives, but like the saying goes, it takes a village to raise a child. I spent my fair share of time in different huts, and all the love I received has made me a more caring person.

My Mom’s Sacrifice
Growing up in a single-parent household, I have a cornucopia of reasons to be thankful for my mother. It is not easy for anyone to raise a child on her own, let alone three kids. My mother has done everything from working the night shift to juggling two jobs just to take care of my two brothers and me. She taught me very early in life that I must be independent. However, like that horrible day in the second grade, she has never left me stranded when I needed her.

I’ve always had my mother’s shoulder to lean on when I did not know what to do. Just this year I was contemplating whether I wanted to attend college in Georgia so I could get the HOPE Scholarship. At the time, I felt really stressed because I really wanted to attend Western Kentucky University, but my family’s income only allowed me to stay in state. My mother helped me feel comfortable with my decision to take out loans to go to school out of state. She said, “HOPE is not the beginning and end all of everything. There are other forms of payment, Jasmine.” I am so thankful for how hard she has worked (and still works) and the many sacrifices that she has made for our family.

When I say sacrifice I mean things like putting the Dansko clogs she needed for work back on the store shelf to get me the Coach sneakers I wanted for Christmas. In addition to sacrificing materially, my mom has sacrificed emotionally and physically. I can remember times when she would be exhausted from work and still found the energy to come to my band concert or drive me to work.

My Grandmothers’ Inspiration
My mom did have some help. When my mother had to work two jobs, her mom, my grandmother Catherine (affectionately known as Mama) would travel all the way from Columbus, Ga. to take care of my brothers and me. When my mom was working late and couldn’t cook, Mama would have a hot breakfast or dinner on the table. She would also offer me words of wisdom when I felt bad about my family’s financial troubles. For instance, when I really wanted a gold nameplate necklace, Mama told me: “Those things don’t make or break you. It don’t matter if you don’t have it. You need to get something in your head first.” She taught me to pay more attention to what’s on the inside instead of outside.

My dad’s mom, my Grandma Arletha (Letha) also helped shaped me. She would always stress the importance of a good education and being a young lady. Grandma Letha also taught me to be independent. She would say, “Jasmine girl, you need to have your own — now and when you get older — ‘cause if you don’t take care of yourself, nobody else will.” She inspired me to get my after-school job and save money so I wouldn’t have to depend on anyone else.

Thank You
Of course this not a perfect world, and a lot of teens don’t have moms or grandmas as active in their lives as mine. Other teens don’t appreciate the ones they do have. I’ve seen teens talk back or even curse at their moms when all their moms were trying to do was help. It’s unfortunate, but it reminds me how blessed I am for my mom and grandmas, and how well I get along with them. I know I would not be the strong, caring, hard-working, respectful person I am today without them.

Jasmine is a senior at Morrow High. She dedicates this story to her parents, grandparents, Ms. Jones and Mrs. Allen.