An Unlikely Weapon

If you were to ask my mother to recall a specific time that she has stuck up for me, I’d have to guess that she wouldn’t be able to. Because she is notoriously humble, and I was born feisty, she would probably say that she hasn’t had to defend me, and that I’ve always stuck up for myself just fine. What she doesn’t know is that I learned how to stick up for myself by watching her. My mother and I are very different personalities. I’m opinionated and outspoken, and prone to fight with words. She wins her wars through careful consideration and downright kindness. She never yelled at my coaches or teachers, demanding to know why I wasn’t the starting pitcher, or blamed a teacher for my poor math grades (“poor” being an understatement). Instead, she talked to people. She asked lots of questions, made a few reasonable and inoffensive suggestions, and she listened to their answers. All the while, I was listening too. Through the years, her unpretentious confidence has shown me that sometimes a quiet breathe, is louder than a fiery scream. That “winning” a battle of unfairness doesn’t always involve being the most demanding or rebellious, and won’t guarantee you the “justice” you feel you deserve. My mother is not intimidating, aggressive, or outwardly powerful. In fact, she’s a tiny little woman, who has no idea what a force she is. She takes the high road, and she usually wins. That’s how my mother stuck up for me. By being a profound example on how to stick up for myself. Today she’s proving to her grandchildren, with cool certainty, that being selfless and considerate will give them the personal strength they need to stick up for themselves and on from generation to generation… 297 Word Count

An Unlikely Weapon

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