...Others

Blog challenge number two of the day was to interview a family member on their story, how they came to know what their calling was, who helped them along the way, and what their struggles were... and I chose to interview my mom! She has dedicated her free time (which is limited) to helping kids, advocating for mental health, and volunteering for the Rockford Education Foundation. She is one of the most generous people I know and she's an excellent role model.

I love my mother very much and have always taken an interest in what she spends her time on. She is very diligent with how she distributes it, so anything that gains the honor of her undivided attention is special. However, I did learn a lot more about my mothers faith in this interview. She tends to keep her discussions on faith internalized, so to hear her talk about her reliance on Jesus to keep grounded and strive for betterment was inspiring.

The following is my paraphrased version of my mother's responses to the interview questions:

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How she came to know her calling― I am a do good-er at heart and I don't like to waste time. That combination has led me to spend my free-time helping other people in ways that promote and strive for justice. Another thing that drives me to others is my faith. Helping the least fortunate among us is what Jesus did and taught, and I strive to emulate that everyday.

Who helped her―A lot of people have helped me achieve my goals and strive to be a better person, including but not limited to; Jesus, my husband, my best friend, my daughter, and my supportive tribe of strong women.

Struggles?―A couple things have been difficult in my pursuit to help others; I was scared of everything (especially life)... It's how I'm wired. I also used to be very selfish and had to teach myself how to grow out of that. All of this has helped me realize that we can't blame stuff on other people, and must accept responsibility for our actions.