Abraham Lincoln, legendary son & Top 10 All-time American
Honest Abe couldn’t have said it any better, so I’ll keep the intro short and sweet. This Mother’s Day, the Red Bamboo Marketing team and a few of our close colleagues, clients and friends invite you to share in some of the wisdom we’ve learned from our mothers.
Alberto Garcia
COO at Red Bamboo Marketing
I have to say that unfortunately I couldn’t enjoy a Dad as I wished as he died young but thank God I had A LOT OF MOMS, not only my own Mom that is the most important thing in the world but also I got blessed with many aunts, great aunts and girlfriends from my mom that: brought me into this world (My great aunt was a nurse), took care of me, taught me, fed me, loved me, smacked me (things were different in Spain!), made me laugh and allowed me to pursue everything I wanted (even when it wasn’t the right thing!) My mom and her helpers are the most important thing in my life. I have three daughters and I hope they can be one day as good Moms as their own mom and grandmas.
And finally, here’s a Mother’s Day poem I think you’ll enjoy!
Abuela Celia with her grand daughter, Carla
Jennifer Garcia
CEO at Red Bamboo Marketing
Jennifer with her mother (left) and mother in law (right)
Everything is temporary.
When I was in my early twenties it was a time of heavy transition. After graduating college and taking some time off to see our beautiful country, I ended back at my childhood home in NJ. I started to commute to NYC and realized fast how difficult working was going to be and for the first time in my life, I really was ‘stressed’. I had so many things I wanted to do, so many ideas, but what seemed like so little direction. I started to really sweat the small stuff and worry about things, analyze things, and simply pay too much attention to things that really would not matter to me one year from then.
One morning, I woke up to a note (I still have it) from my mom, it was written on the back of a bank deposit slip. It was a beautiful note like a loving mother would write, but it was all about how everything in life is temporary. It really was exactly what I needed to hear at that time. And by her writing it down, it really resonated with me. If you listen, you really realize that mothers do know best. Happy Mother’s Day to Rosemarie Herold, my mom.
Katie Krogstad-Roed
Content Director at Red Bamboo Marketing
To say I’ve learned a lot from my Ma over the years is an understatement. Growing up on a small, rural Minnesota farm, we really didn’t have neighbors. I had friends—but they too lived on farms and hanging out wasn’t all that convenient. What I had was family—and that’s what mattered. More importantly I had a mom that was always there to discipline me when I needed it (which was A LOT during my teenage years), and provide reassurance when I doubted myself. Her four magic words always seemed to help—saying, “It’s gonna be ok!” That phrase has got me through a lot of tough times in life. Below are a few examples:
Age 3 (or was it 4 or 5!?)
Me: “I peed my pants!”
Ma: “Don’t worry, you’ll get it next time—it’s gonna be ok!”
Age 11
Me: “Mom…I just backed the car into dad’s grain truck and totaled it. I’m ok, but dad’s going to kill me.”
Ma: “Honey…Dad’s not going to kill you. He’s just not going to be very happy with you. Don’t worry though, it’s gonna be ok!”
Age 18
Me: “College is hard—I’m going to fail my finals!”
Ma: “You’ll do great—study hard, believe in yourself—it’s gonna be ok!”
Age 28
Me: “Why did I start my own business—I have no clients and no money.”
Ma: “Your hard work will pay off—trust me—it’s gonna be ok!”
Age 33
Me: “I can’t do this anymore!” (After laboring for 27 hours with my mom by my side)
Ma: You’re doing great—I’m so proud of you honey—It’s gonna be ok!”
Age 34
Me: “I’m pregnant…AGAIN!”
Ma: “Being close in age is good…they’ll be best friends. You’ve got this—it’s gonna be ok!”
Last Week:
Me: Being a Mom is so much harder than I thought it would be! Potty training is hell…Clara just peed her pants AGAIN!”
Ma: “I know honey, it’s hard work, I remember well. Don’t worry—she’ll get it next time—it’s gonna be ok!”
Thanks Ma for always letting me know that whatever battle I’m facing—big or small—that it’s gonna be ok.
P.S. For the hundredth time…I’m so sorry for what I put you through when I was a teen.
Happy Mother’s Day – I love you!
Megan Sullivan
Account Manager at Red Bamboo Marketing
“A woman is like a teabag; you never know how strong she is until she’s in hot water.”
My grandmother says that this Eleanor Roosevelt quote (and there are so many good ones that remind me of lessons my mom has passed down to me) reminds her so much of my mother. I agree and I like this one especially too. The people that know my mother know that’s she’s one of the sweetest women in the whole world, but not everyone knows that she’s a tough cookie too. Underneath her pleasant demeanor, there’s a depth and unshakeable strength that I admire the most about her. She has an eternal optimism quality about her – a belief that everything will be okay because after all, “tomorrow’s another day…”
Megan and her mom.
Mrs. Sullivan
Stephen Murphy
CMO at Red Bamboo Marketing
Throughout my life, my mom has been my number one fan. She’s always believed that I’d be successful at whatever I tried – no matter how rocky the road ahead of me looked. Thank you mom for everything you’ve taught me and sacrificed for me over the years, I love you!Some memorable quotes from my mom throughout the years:
- If something needs to be done, don’t wait for someone else to ask you. Just do it!
- Be honest.
- You better buy that girl a ring (I did).
- I love you, but you’re still grounded (a line that was repeated A LOT growing up.)
- Remember: beer before liquor, never been sicker (wish I listened to this one back in the day!)
Happy Mother’s Day Mom!
Steve and his mom, sometime after college.
Michelle Sassa
Brand & Positioning Strategist at Red Bamboo Marketing:
Michelle with her mother.
The Mother of Reinvention.
My mom was always a jack of all trades, master of most. Throughout my lifetime, she has been a floral arranger, team mom, a Weight Watchers Lecturer, cheerleading coach, a paralegal, and queen of the Red Hat Society. And those were just some of her ‘official’ roles.
Mom taught me that I can do anything I set my mind to and that anything worth doing is worth doing well. She also taught me that it is a woman’s prerogative to changer her mind! With her as my inspiration, I have been able to fearlessly reinvent myself as my life and times have changed. Advertising copywriter? Check. Mother of three? Check. Freelance business owner? Check. Branding strategist and author? Double check.
Thanks Mom, for showing me that anything is possible through hard work and perseverance.
Other wisdom I wish I had heeded: “It’s as easy to love a rich man as a poor man” and “If you’ve got it, flaunt it, ‘cause you ‘aint gonna have it forever.”
Scott Van Orden
VP Sales at DIO-soft
Words to live by: What goes around, comes around.
Meaning, the way you treat people will come around full circle in the end by the way you are treated by others. Don’t expect kindness and respect from others, unless you extend the same – especially to strangers.
Michael Leviton
Director of Donor Relations at Central Jersey Blood Center
My Mom has inspired me to stay positive, even in the face of adversity. She has also taught me to see the good in people!
Love you Mom!
Michael with his mother.
Leandra Ortiz
Marketing at Central Jersey Blood Center
Mother’s day isn’t only one day out of the year for my mom. My mom has mother’s day every day. My mom is the most important woman in my life; no other woman can replace her. She gave me life which I cannot express how appreciative I am because of that. She is my rock!
She is not only my mother, she is my best friend, my teacher, my counselor but most of all she is my world. My mom would go to the moon and back for me as I would do for her. Over the years she has taught me to be a young responsible independent woman. She has taught me to strive for success in which she has pushed me through many obstacles in my life which I couldn’t imagine doing without her by my side. She always tells me “If you don’t do it yourself no one else will do it for you.”
Every time I feel like giving up I can hear her voice in my head which motivates me to achieve my lifetime goals even more. Without my mom’s tough love I wouldn’t know where I would be in this world today.
I LOVE YOU #1 MOM – HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!
Leandra with her mother.
