She’s So Inspiring – My Mum

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She's so inspiring

I don’t know how, but every week I love this series a little bit more. I’m moved not just by the stories that these women share but by the heartfelt and beautiful way that so many people respond to them. The comments section is really a joy to behold! If you’re here for some wom-inspiration, hello and welcome! You’ve certainly come to the right place.

Meet my mum, Lynn.

I couldn’t not not include my mum in a series of inspiring women, not just because she’s my mum, but because she’s been inspiring me to be the best me I can be for as long as I can remember. I’ve celebrated her awesome before on the blog here and here but I thought as it’s  almost Mother’s Day and today is my nana’s birthday and all, I’m never going to have a better reason to put  my mum in the spotlight.My mum’s a pretty private person, you won’t find her on social media, she doesn’t have a blog and I have to admit to a degree of arm twisting to get her to share her story here. But I think her story is kind of a bloggy prequel because there is no doubt without the  love, encouragement and faith that she has bestowed upon me, I wouldn’t be the person I am today.

Here is a woman who is a single parent but has played the role of two, who has turned dreams into reality, who has juggled a successful career and child raising (all on her own, I might add) and has travelled the world thirsty for adventure.

I don’t know  if we look alike but we share a love of chicken soup, dogs, exclamation marks and life. Among many other things.

She might be older and she might be a bit wiser, but I’m sure you’ll agree, she’s so inspiring!

She's so inspiring - my mum
 Tell us a bit about yourself.
I have the great fortune to be mum to Sammie.   Those of you who have children will understand that there is no greater love and a love that is endearing and everlasting.
I have to admit to being a rolling stone and I gathered lots of moss in my travels and adventures along life’s way.  I emigrated to the States when I was 21 and worked for two famous hotels in San Francisco and  met some really “cookie” folk in the year I was there! My next adventure was another emigration, this time to South Africa; destination Cape Town.   The man who should have been my dream turned out to be a real live rat but the biggest blessing and bonus was the birth of my lovely daughter who I brought back to the UK when she was a year old.Earning an honest shilling for a single mum isn’t easy anywhere so I started a one woman marketing business which was a great success but unfortunately,  I later sold this business due to ill health. By this time, Sammie was ensconced at uni so  I used some of the spoils from the sale of the business for a Caribbean Cruise  and jumped ship in St Lucia! If you’ve seen the film “Shirley Valentine” – well that was me! I stayed there!

The “stone” was still rolling and kept rolling, all the way to Brittany in France where I lived for seven years running a Chambres d’hotes (bed and breakfast) in my house. I now live in Lincoln, UK  and to all intents and purposes I am out to pasture and have grown a few  roots.

She's so inspiring - my mum
 Tell us 3 things you are and 3 things you’re not. 

I am compassionate, reliable and friendly.

I am not mean, selfish or bad tempered !

Complete this sentence, ____________________  changed my life. How and why?

My daughter changed my life.  She has given me a sense of direction and achievement.

She's so inspiring - my mum

What has been life’s greatest lesson?

The greatest lesson is not to sweat the small stuff .  To take each day and determine what you would like to achieve and try to put 100% in to get 100% out.

What is your biggest achievement?

Short of repeating myself, it has to be producing the most wonderful daughter in the universe.   You can understand why I am so proud of her.

lynn-2

What has been your toughest obstacle and how have you overcome it?

My toughest obstacle has to be living with “Mr. Lupus” He is an auto immune disease and his sole purpose is to stop you having fun!   I am allergic to ultra violet so  there is no fun in the sun for me,  even in the British summer I have to be like a mole in a hole and can only go out early in the morning and evening to keep those UVA’s off of me!   These type of chronic illnesses do change your life because you are not who and what you were, nor can you make plans because you never know how you are going to feel the next day!   So, you have to be phlegmatic and just make sure that your objectives are small and achievable so that you feel positive.

She's so inspiring - my mum

Viktor Frankl says “Those who have a ‘why’ to live, can bear with almost any ‘how.” Everyone needs a purpose, what’s yours?
I have to admit to not living with a purpose. I have done this all my life and now I just take each day as it comes.  I can be honest and say that there is nothing I crave to achieve. I have to be lucky to say that I have peace of mind and that has to count for a lot!

She's so inspiring - my mumWhat are your words to live by?

Honin-myo.  It’s a term from Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism and it means   “every day is a new beginning.”   We can do nothing about the past.  Even the last few seconds have gone away and cannot be relived.  What is important is the “here and now” and to make good determination (causes) for the future.  So, if you make determinations of what you want to achieve every day and put in 100% but do not manage to achieve them all, it really doesn’t matter.  Because there is always tomorrow, and with that comes a new day with a new beginning.

If you could have any mentor, alive or dead, who would you choose and why?

My mentors have always been my mum and dad who departed much too early in my life. How is it that we respect and value them more when they are no longer with us? Their indomitable spirit and family values have been my social heritage.

She's so inspiring - my mum

If you could play hookie for a day what would be on your list to do?

I can play hookie any day, that’s the privilege of old age.   However, a day at a Spa being pampered would be lovely.

You give so much to others, what do you do to take care of yourself?

I try to live by what I believe in and to have a strong life force.

Thank you for sharing, Lynn.

My mum is a hidden gem and you won’t find her on social media, no matter how hard you look. But please do leave a comment, because I know this is one place on the interwebs that she loves to hang out!