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Thanks Moms

May 22nd, 2023 by Kenneth Abrahams

Moms, or women in general, are incredible human beings. When you look back at what they have accomplished and fought for over the years it is nothing short of astonishing. Growing up as a boomer, we heard stories of what things were like during World War II. As more and more men went overseas to fight, many women went to work outside of the home, often in roles traditionally reserved for and occupied by men. Although they may have taken some creative license, much of the movie A League of Their Own is based on fact. When the war ended many of the women left the workforce and returned home as full-time moms. Those that think being a mom isn’t a hard job have never been left in charge of the kids by yourself for any length of time.

Thinking back to when I grew up, it is amazing what my mother accomplished. In those days it was less common for women to work outside of the home, but she had a full-time job and brought up four kids. Outside of doing some grilling, making the occasional sardine sandwich, or mowing the lawn, I never remember my father doing any of the shopping, housework, or shuttling my siblings and I to games, practices, or lessons. Somehow, she kept up with it all. It is safe to say that she was the rule as opposed to the exception. A lot of moms at that time shouldered more of the parental and household load than their male partners did.

Over time, I have noticed a few things about moms. Many will say they are exhausted, but regardless of what they are asked to do, they seem to be able to accomplish it. Is that a huge well of energy or just true commitment to their kids and families? They also have an

incredible pain and illness threshold. In other words, they never seem to get sick, or they do but it doesn’t slow them down much, treating it as nothing more than a small inconvenience. Men, for example, can be knocked out of commission for days by the common cold, but women just keep going, despite being in pain or not feeling well. It’s remarkable because it’s not just one or two moms, it’s most of them. It always amazes me to see what they can endure.

One of my clients has always impressed me with what she is able to accomplish. She has a full-time job that she devotes many hours to. She is a mother, wife, daughter, care giver to her parents, coach, volunteer, and to top it all off, is currently studying for her doctorate. With the schedule she keeps my tail would be dragging, but every time I see her, she has a smile on her face and a spring in her step. She is far from the only one that I work with that keeps a rigorous schedule like that. It is both inspirational and impressive.

In this country, our history of how we treat women is less than glorious. It took them more than a century to get the right to vote. Reluctantly, they were allowed to enter the workforce. Even today, research tells us that many of them are still earning 86 cents on the dollar as compared to men with the same position. For years, they have had little say over their reproductive rights and today we are waging that battle all over again. Finally, we are seeing some victories and movements. Women are now more present on the sidelines and in the front offices of pro sports teams. This year, Brown University had a woman play for the very first time in a division one NCAA baseball game. Board rooms and CEO offices are no longer off limits based on gender. Perhaps there is hope for us yet.

So many women have blazed trails in not only this country, but the world. Take a few minutes and do a stroll through history at some of the amazing women that have been at the forefront of change and innovation. Martha Stewart and Oprah Winfrey have revolutionized magazines and media. Marie Curie was the first woman ever to win a Nobel Prize, the first person ever to win 2 Nobel Prizes, and the only person ever to win Nobel Prizes in two scientific disciplines. Yet, because she was a woman was not able to enroll in traditional universities until later in life. Golda Meir is the first and only woman to be head of state in Israel and had an active political career while raising two children. Jackie Kennedy served as first lady while raising kids in the White House. Even after the assassination of John F. Kennedy she remained a beloved well-known figure throughout the world. It would be easy to go on and on with the likes of Harriet Tubman, Eleanor Roosevelt, or Sally Ride the first American woman in space, but time and space just don’t permit it.

True this blog should have been written a week or two ago, but there is nothing wrong with celebrating Mother’s Day and the accomplishments of women just a bit longer. After all they have given us, a few extra days is not too much to ask for, is it? We should all make sure to let those that are important to us know they are important but especially the women in our lives. Mother’s Day is but one day a year that we can let them know how special they are. Remember we have another 364 chances each year.

About the Authors Mom:

Barbara Abrahams was born in New York in 1930. She was a lifelong learner, avid traveler, and voracious reader. She received an undergraduate degree from Washington University in St. Louis Missouri and a masters from Columbia University. Her father tried to convince her to stay in New York for college and offered to buy her a convertible if she did. Being a teacher was her dream and she taught special education in New York and then South Bend Indiana for many decades. She passed away in 2016 from Alzheimer’s. To help find a cure for the disease she participated in several studies and drug trials to help doctors learn more about and fight Alzheimer’s. She is still sorely missed today.

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