Sunday, May 10, 2015

Remembering My Mother on Mother's Day

Baby Blue Armani Exchange Coat Free People Jeans
Redondo Beach, California


Blue Coat: Armani Exchange Similar Similar Similar  
Blue Jeans: Free People Similar


Happy Mother's Day to you!  Hope everyone is enjoying their Sunday with their moms!  As for me, I will be spending the day in memoriam of my mother.  She was the woman who inspired me to be creative.  When I was a little girl, I remember crafting with my brother during our summers outside on our art bench, being involved in musicals, dance classes and watching her paint and draw.  She introduced us to all sorts of different kinds of art.  This taught me at a very young age to think "outside the box" and to "create something from nothing".  

Here are some things I remember about my mother...

Her favorite color was blue.
She was always upbeat and positive.
She taught me to appreciate art and to value education.
She taught me what it meant to be diligent.
She surfed longboards in Redondo Beach :)
She was energetic and outgoing.
My friends liked her.
She liked to shop.
She was practical.
She mostly wore pants, not dresses.
She never wore make-up.
She enjoyed building or making things.
She never gave up on living!

My mother survived breast cancer for 21 years!  

When I was just 4 years old, she showed me her scar from her breast cancer surgery.  It was then that she had to explain to me that she had breast cancer.  Ever since then, I understood what death was and that it could become a reality for us.  As I got older, I realized that it wasn't easy for her to try to cram as much living as she possible could into her life while she still had it.  She was a fighter.  She smiled through her pain and never lost hope.  Even with this debilitating disease, she continued to "live" when she could have easily let herself become depressed.  Watching her live even through the recurance of cancer at five different times, has inspired me to live my life to the fullest, even when it gets difficult.  This experience made me realize that life is a gift, and it is short.  There is no time like the present.  If there is something you want to do or need to do, it is best to start doing it today because you never know what tomorrow may bring.  

Always remember to look for your joy!

XO Joanna

16 comments:

  1. Your mother must have been an amazing woman..both of my grandmothers had breast cancer. One of them died, one is still with us.both of them are an inspiration for me.
    Thank you for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for visiting and for sharing your story too!

      Delete
  2. Thank you for sharing your story with us. Your mom must have been a lovely woman.
    xox
    Lenya
    FashionDreams&Lifestyle

    ReplyDelete
  3. I am so sorry for you loss, Joanna. Your mom sounds like such an incredible woman. This is a very inspiring post, life is too short to not be doing what you love with those you love. Thank you so much for sharing.

    -Lindsey

    ReplyDelete
  4. Your mom sounds so wonderful. I love how upbeat she was even when life may not have been going exactly as she planned. She never gave up though and that's so important. I know with my mom, who passed away a year and a half ago, she battled with Multiple Sclerosis for 16 years. It was the most debilitating kind that had her bed ridden. She never gave up though and was always so positive for us even though she was confined to a bed or wheel chair. Our moms are so important and have such a strong presence in our lives.

    amandabrezovsky.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Awww...so sorry to hear about the recent loss of your mother. Wow, 16 years is a long time. It sounds like it must have been really tough on your family. Thank God she had you and your dad to be there for her. Sometimes we don't realize it until later in life, how much our moms have influenced us.

      Delete
  5. Lovely post, dear! ^-^
    Thanks for your comment on my blog!

    http://www.caterina-m.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You are welcome! Thank you for visiting mine:)

      Delete
  6. You have an amazing blog! What you think of follow for follow?
    xx
    Blog: adonadasushi.blogspot.pt
    FB Page: facebook.com/blogdadonadasushi

    ReplyDelete
  7. Sorry for your loss :( Great post about your mum!
    xoxox Lynda
    http://fashion-petite.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  8. Really awesome post! I lost my dad almost 12 years ago so I commiserate with you. XOXO
    -Lauren Blair
    www.prefertobedemure.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Awww... thanks for sharing this with me. I think it's important to remember the spirit of those who have impacted our lives in enormous ways.

      Delete