First things first: Call your mother Sunday. Tell her you love her. Apologize for being such a pain in the ass the other 364 days of the year.
Now allow us the opportunity to pay tribute to our own mothers, and the peerless advice they've offered to us over the years. We asked the DFW.com Ink team to send us a few words of wisdom passed down from their moms or grandmas. As you'll see, advice comes in many varieties, but when it comes from Mom, it's usually spot-on.
And to all of our readers who are moms, grandmoms and great-grandmoms (come on, we know a few of you are out there), Happy Mother's Day! You don't get nearly the credit you deserve.
Contributor Joanna Cattanach on her mother, Ruth: When I was dating my now husband, I had a hard time with our religious and cultural differences. He's an Arab Muslim. I'm an American Christian. So I called my mother for advice -- something I never normally do. This was her opportunity to read me the Southern Baptist riot act. She said, very simply, "Joanna, God puts people in our lives for a reason." To this day, she has treated my husband with respect and kindness, and I love her for that.
Dating columnist Blane Bachelor on her mom, Charlotte: Two nuggets of wisdom: "No guts, no glory" and "That which doesn't kill you will only make you stronger."
Editor Rick Press on his mom, Carole: My mom was cheering me on with the "Just Do It" slogan long before Nike and its swoosh came along.
Design director Kari Crane, on her mom, Sue: Above all, she taught me to relax, have fun and enjoy life. Worrying about it all won't get you anywhere.
"Sex can't be the only thing you have in common with someone you're dating." -- Maxine Kelly, mother of managing editor Christopher Kelly
"Keep your legs closed and your eyes open!" -- Eva "Tita" Andry, grandmother of advertising account executive Jennie Morgan
"You should go into sales; you'd be so good at it" -- Edie Scott, mother of advertising account executive Meghan Scott
Contributor Jennifer Kyle, on her mom, Gloria: Too many good ones to choose from: "If you wear Spanx when you exercise, you'll lose more weight." "You can drive like nine miles per hour over the speed limit ... they won't pull you over." "Put on some blush, you look dead." "Don't wear makeup all the time, that way when you do, you have shock value."
Publisher Baker Haynes, on his mom, Carole: "Always wear clean underwear, you never know when you could be in an accident." I often wondered if I should keep a fresh pair in the glove box, just in case!
Entertainment editor Heather Svokos on her mom, Pat: Some of my mom's greatest advice was channeled through Karen Carpenter. "Don't worry if it's not good enough for anyone else to hear. Just sing. Sing a song." Mom would always belt that line with gusto, and I learned by example. I grew up her duet partner, and on long car trips to Florida, we'd annoy my dad and brother with our constant need to wail along with the radio; at the house, we'd crack up when we would occasionally fall into brief but unintentional harmony. Those moments brought pure, heart-swelling bliss, and they still do today. Through her, I learned that when there's music playing, there's joy at stake. And there's no time for embarrassment -- only time for singing along.
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