Mothers across the country will be honored this weekend with flowers, breakfast in bed, a brunch at a nice restaurant or gift cards for their favorite pampering activity.
But there is another gift you can give your mother that doesn’t cost any money, and it’s not a handmade coupon book for unlimited hugs. You can tell her what you have learned from her, the treasured lessons you took with you into adulthood or parenthood.
We asked some Amway leaders and business owners that question. This is what they said:
Candace Matthews, Regional President, the Americas
Candace treasures her mother’s nurturing ability and how she made every person feel like they were the most important person in the world.
“She was a nurturer by nature, and it was in her to listen, to encourage, to guide,” Candace said. “If something would help you be better or do better, she would help you on that path … It’s the nurturing, listening and encouraging that I try to bring to the way I lead.”
An example, Candace started learning Spanish when she began her role as president of the Americas region. She wanted to connect with Amway Business Owners by speaking their language.
“Truly nurturing is meeting people where they are and leading them to where they need to be.”
Jim Ayres, Managing Director, Amway North America
Jim said his mother was a “normal person who did pioneering things.” A widow raising Jim and his sister alone, she was their biggest supporter, always cheering them on and urging them to fulfill their obligations while following their passions.
“She said, ‘If you’re really passionate about something, find a way to do it,’” he said. “And she was a passionate learner, continually learning, seeking truth and meaning.
“She always asked me: What did I learn today? She taught me to never stop learning.”
And if Jim was facing challenges, she would say she was “putting the white light on him.”
“That was her way of sending her support,” he said. “Today I do that with my own daughter.”
Steve Victor, Amway Independent Business Owner since 1994
Steve said his mother has a gift for thoughtfulness and always making people feel appreciated despite a hectic schedule.
“Whether it’s a note, an email, a card, a text or a phone call, she always remembers someone’s special day or makes sure they know they are in her thoughts and prayers,” he said. “This taught me that people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.
“Also, that life is a boomerang: Whatever you throw out there is exactly what you are going to get back.”
Karen Martin, Amway Independent Business Owner since 1983
Karen’s mother taught her the importance of listening, which has been an incredible leadership tool, Karen said.
“My mom would frequently say: ‘Answer a question with a question,’” she said. “No matter what the situation, you learn more by listening to others and drawing them out.”
The answer her mother received when she was a nurse working with a terminally ill patient is what finally led her to join her husband and work harder at their Amway business. The patient asked her if he was going to die.
“Not knowing how to answer that, she said: ‘Why do you ask?’” Karen recalled. “He answered, ‘I have a wife and three small children and I don’t know how they are going to make it financially. I have always been the provider and if I am not here, I don’t know how she will make it.’”
“That was the day she decided to help people dig their wells before they needed water.”
What have you learned?
Do you have words of wisdom from your mom? Share it here in the comments, but make sure you share it with her, too. We bet it will be the best gift she’s ever received.
