Some Sisters....Some Dancing....

Studette of the Month - May 2009

Mom, Colette and Ginette outside the Boston Temple

Of course, this month's Studette of the Month is my mother, although it comes a little late. A few things:

(1) I love, and have always loved talking to my mom. She is a good conversationalist, and even as a little girl, I enjoyed conversing with her.

(2) Mom is a woman of great depth. She understands things to a deeper level than I do, and I have learned to trust her judgment and viewpoints.

(3) She is a woman of great virtue. I have really never met anyone as virtuous as my mother. Ever. I am quite certain that I never will.

(4) My mother adores my dad, and genuinely loves and respects him. I always enjoyed being the child of two parents who genuinely love each other. And I especially loved having a mother who respected my father. I never grew up hearing disparaging things about men, which I greatly appreciated.

(5) My mother is unusually genuine. There are no false pretenses with mom, in any way. She is incredibly honest. If there was any error in her honesty, it would only be tempered by her humility. If anything, she puts her worst foot forward. She does not substitute appearances for what really is. I have grown to love this more, and more, and more with life experience. She is as real as they come. On the flip side, she appreciates genuineness from others.

(6) My mother is incredibly good. I could always feel this growing up. I think we all could. She is just a very good spirit. Though she is not flashy, or trendy, or brilliant, she is exceptionally good.

(7) Mom is confident. Mom has a quiet confidence that is utterly refreshing. She was never really prone to self-esteem issues. I think part of this is that being as good as she is, deep down she has confidence in this. Though she was painfully shy as a child, she always believed that when people would get to know her, that they would love her. I would wish this confidence on the whole world.

(8) Mom is intelligent and wise. She always insisted that we talk like we are educated. There was to be no use of the word "ma" or "ain't" or improper grammar. She still corrects my English. Mom reads a lot of books, which means that her critical thinking skills are well developed. I love going home and seeing which books she has been reading lately. Depending on the review she gives, I steal them till I've finished them, and she does the same for me.

(9) Mom walks the walk. There is NOTHING hypocritical about my mother. She doesn't expect anything of anyone that she doesn't do herself. If she expects you to be honest, she is. If she expects you to be a quiet giver, she is. If she expects you to exercise from the age 40 on, she does. Her integrity is among the very best I've ever seen.

(10) She is happy. Mom always used to say, "Chantal, if you are good, you will miss out on some of the fun. You will. But you will find that you will be happy." I have found that she was right, and that happiness is wholesome, and priceless.

Psalms 31:10-31