For all of those who thought last week you were finally rid of my ramblings, well, you’re not yet.

Sunday, March 25, 2001

For all of those who thought last week you were finally rid of my ramblings, well, you’re not yet. But I do promise, this will likely be the last time.

I do, however, need this opportunity to salute my hero – my mom.

One of the questions asked of me at the Young Careerist competition was, "Who is your role model?" Like a big dope, I started to tear up as I explained why I looked up to my mom. But I was reassured later that I wasn’t the only one who: A. cited her mother as a role model or, B. started to cry about it.

So let’s see if I can make it through this without reaching for the tissue.

My mother hasn’t done anything extraordinary by the world’s standards, but she’s always been a strong presence in my life, and that means the world to me.

She is one of the most accepting people I’ve ever known. She’s always treated all of my friends and acquaintances with kindness and respect. And she never let on about the ones she didn’t like, though I’m sure there’s been a few.

She also has a wonderful sense of humor and is constantly joking around with people. And she laughs off a lot of problems that would get to other people.

She has amazing patience. Sometimes I honestly don’t know how she’s dealt with my goofy father for close to four decades. But for that, she has also been a great example of how to work through disagreements, all-out fights and all the other hard times to keep the family feeling like just that – a family.

But most of all, she’s believed in me like no one else has. And that takes a lot of faith, to believe in someone unconditionally. (Oh gosh, where are the tissues?)

When I told her that I got the new job in Ashland, she said she was starting "to get little tears of joy" in her eyes. She also told me she was proud of me. That actually meant more to me than getting the job.

My mom’s the type of person who cuts out articles about me and my accomplishments and sends the articles to our hometown paper. (When I became a reporter, my dad, on the other hand, threatened everyone from insurance sales representatives to car dealers that I could write an expose if that particular person was doing anything shady. Thank God that didn’t last!)

The local paper also got a copy of the article announcing me as the associate editor here, and she sent the first article about me earning the local Business and Professional Women’s Young Careerist award, so proud was she of all my accomplishments.

So now I’m taking the opportunity to write about her accomplishments. She has endured the ups and downs of close to 40 years of marriage. She has raised four children who respect others and stay out of trouble. And, though I can’t speak for my siblings, she has raised one child and given her the faith to believe she can do anything in the world.

I could write volumes, but I’m afraid I’ll have to quit. Now, I’m crying and co-workers are looking at me like a raving lunatic. Thanks, Mom. No really, thanks.

Shawnda Schelinder was the Austin Daily Herald’s associate editor. She ended her tenure Friday.