Mom, it’s all your fault

You can blame my mom. It’s all her fault. Really.

Oh sure, if you look at her you don’t see what a rebel she is, and she may not even admit it to herself. But she’s the Original, the one who taught me everything I know. And I’m here to set the record straight.

Mom is smart. Wicked smart, as my friends in Boston would say. But she keeps it under wraps and is content to share the limelight with just about anyone she likes as long as she gets to do what she wants.

• As any rebel knows, getting the credit is not nearly as good as getting the prize.

Mom is conservative. But this is where she gets rebellious: She doesn’t assume her belief system is superior to anyone else’s. That’s right, my mom fervently believes and knows what is right for her. But she doesn’t assume it is right for everyone.

• Rebels respect the right of other people to do their own thing, as long as it doesn’t impact anyone else.

Mom signed for me to get an adult library card when I was 10 years old. I was a voracious reader even back then, and probably too curious for my own good. She made it possible for me to explore worlds and ideas far outside my conservative Southwest town, and she never censored anything. Even when the librarian raised an eyebrow during checkout.

• Rebels know that education is power, and reading things that challenge your status quo only makes you smarter.

When I was a senior in high school I wanted to go to prom, but our religion did not permit dancing (a la Footloose). She thought it was harmless and let me go, despite the heat she got from her friends (I didn’t even have a date!).

• Rebels don’t follow anyone blindly. Even when they believe in something, they are smart enough to know that we are not cookie cutters and variances are both necessary and normal.

Mom doesn’t take on airs. She knows who she is and isn’t about to change that for anyone. One of her favorite tongue-in-cheek lines is “I’m just country.” She likes small-town living, gardening, and a casual lifestyle. She can appreciate fancier things, but she’s not going to pretend she wants them in her life.

• Rebels know who they are and how they want to live and make no excuses for it.

She has never been a know-it-all even though she is very smart. She listens to other people and really tries to understand where they are coming from. That quality taught me it was okay to be open to other ideas. (She may not be happy with all the ways I’ve followed through on this, but you can blame me for poor execution.)

• Rebels are always on the lookout for smart people, even ones with opposing ideas. It just makes life more interesting than nodding your head all the time.

You can see that I come by this wanderlust naturally. In fact, I blame her for all of it - adventure, knowledge, love, smart friends, and joy that I have in my life every single day. Mom is the Original Rebel, and I’m so proud to carry on the tradition.

I love you more than I can say, Mamacita. Happy Mother’s Day.

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