John, Happy Mother’s Day to those who celebrate. My heart goes out to those who find this day to be difficult.

I am incredibly lucky to have the mother I do.

When my mother was in third grade, she dropped out of her elementary school in Mississippi and didn’t plan on returning. Ever. Weeks passed, and soon, she had missed so many days, she was sure she’d be held back a grade level.

Mom considered her education over. But Miss Gert, her family’s next-door neighbor, knew my mom was capable of more. And she understood that sometimes, we need others to have faith in us, to invest in us, so we can believe in ourselves.

She urged my mom not to give up, not to be afraid of going back even if she had fallen behind. Eventually, my mom took Miss Gert’s advice and summoned up the courage to go back to school. She expected to repeat third grade. But after she walked into the principal’s office, she learned that when she dropped out, one of her former teachers had written a note: “If Carolyn Hall ever comes back to school, move her on to the next grade. She’s smart enough.”

Mom returned to school and eventually walked across the stage as valedictorian of her high school. A quarter-century later, she watched her daughter walk across the stage as valedictorian of Avondale High School in DeKalb County. My mom was the only one of her seven siblings to finish high school, the first in her family to go to college and grad school, and later on, she served as a United Methodist minister, after she and my dad graduated from divinity school at Emory University.

My mom is a trailblazer and my inspiration. And she could not have done it without the support from her teachers and neighbors. She will always be the reason why I’m committed to serving others, why I will always fight for public education, and why I will never allow anyone to dampen our ambition or lower our vision. Join me today in celebrating moms and other caregivers who make such a difference in our lives!

-Stacey