Lessons from Mother
From the series: "STAND OUT IN THE CROWD"
by Frank Allocco, Sr.
Series Introduction
Some eye opening basketball statistics:
The beauty of sports is not in becoming a great player, it is the learning of valuable Life Skills that will serve players throughout their lives. If we look beyond the focus of winning and achieving success, the arena of competition is one of the finest classrooms a young player could ever have.
Some eye opening basketball statistics:
- 2.9% of high school players will play college basketball.
- Less than 1 in 75, or 1.3 percent of NCAA Seniors will be drafted by an NBA Team.
- About 3 in 10,000 players (0.03 percent) of high school seniors will eventually be drafted by an NBA team.
The beauty of sports is not in becoming a great player, it is the learning of valuable Life Skills that will serve players throughout their lives. If we look beyond the focus of winning and achieving success, the arena of competition is one of the finest classrooms a young player could ever have.
The outcome of the 2015-16 Division I National Championship Basketball Game was determined by the clutch 3 point shot at the buzzer by Villanova’s Kris Jenkins. After the euphoria of this amazing game had subsided, he credited his mother for teaching him how to shoot, how she would not allow him to shoot outside the paint until he “was ready.” Kris listened to his mother and developed a shot that was fundamentally sound and built for pressure as he proceeded to lead Villanova to a second National Championship.
My mother is a young woman of 89-years who still lives in our childhood home in New Providence, New Jersey. She is our vibrant, active matriarch who still cleans and manages her own home, cooks and cares for my 93-year-old father, and regularly entertains my brothers and their families at weekly dinners. My mother is a benevolent soul, a shining example of a faith-filled woman who lives to assist and bring joy to others through her ongoing acts of compassion and caring. I cherish my daily phone calls, quarterly visits, and the continuous lessons she provides in each of our special conversations.
My mother is a young woman of 89-years who still lives in our childhood home in New Providence, New Jersey. She is our vibrant, active matriarch who still cleans and manages her own home, cooks and cares for my 93-year-old father, and regularly entertains my brothers and their families at weekly dinners. My mother is a benevolent soul, a shining example of a faith-filled woman who lives to assist and bring joy to others through her ongoing acts of compassion and caring. I cherish my daily phone calls, quarterly visits, and the continuous lessons she provides in each of our special conversations.
My mother is a benevolent soul, a shining example of a faith-filled woman who lives to assist and bring joy to others through her ongoing acts of compassion and caring.
One of my mother’s daily pleasures is her morning stopover at McDonalds where she shares breakfast and a cup of coffee with her sister-in-law and one of her dear childhood friends. Their welcoming corner booth is a convenient meeting place for the many retired residents, young executives, and new friends they have made through this daily ritual. My mother is the “queen” of McDonalds, a patient and calming ear to the troubles of her widowed friends, a supportive and encouraging voice to the many young patrons, and a caring and respectful presence to the staff who treat her as a second mother.
Her long and wonderful life has been an ongoing lesson in family and friendship. Her ceaseless energy and love for all people continues to inspire as she models a life truly committed to the service of others. As over four decades have flown by, the three thousand miles that physically separate us have been shortened and bridged by our daily communication, a special opportunity to laugh, reminisce, and express the sacred bond of our love.
Her long and wonderful life has been an ongoing lesson in family and friendship. Her ceaseless energy and love for all people continues to inspire as she models a life truly committed to the service of others. As over four decades have flown by, the three thousand miles that physically separate us have been shortened and bridged by our daily communication, a special opportunity to laugh, reminisce, and express the sacred bond of our love.
Her long and wonderful life has been an ongoing lesson in family and friendship. Her ceaseless energy and love for all people continues to inspire as she models a life truly committed to the service of others.
One morning, after several unsuccessful attempts to reach her at our normal time, I finally connected and asked her why she had returned so late. My mother explained that upon leaving McDonalds, she glanced at the center booth across the aisle and discovered scattered dollars and coins lying upon the cold plastic bench. Not quite sure of what to do with almost ninety dollars, she debated turning it in at the counter while her tablemates encouraged her to keep it and appreciate her good fortune. Uncomfortable at losing control of the money and devoid of any thought of keeping it, she returned to her booth to wait and see if the person who lost it would return to retrieve it. After almost an hour of waiting, a father and son appeared at the center booth, frantically looking under and behind the seats as the boy grew more distraught with each passing moment.
My mother cautiously asked what they were looking for. The young father explained that he had given his son a $100 bill to go to the counter to purchase their breakfast. As the boy returned to sit with his dad, the change had apparently fallen out of his pocket. Unaware of their misfortune, they left the restaurant, got into their car, and began their drive home. As they were pulling into their driveway, the father realized that his son had not returned the change and asked him for it. The eleven-year old boy eagerly reached into his empty pockets and reluctantly discovered that the money was gone. The father was angry and the boy upset as they hurriedly backed out of the driveway and began the speedy drive back to McDonalds.
When they entered the restaurant, it was clear to my mother that these were the people for whom she had been waiting. The sad look on the young boy’s face was revealing; it had all of the evidence of a son who had endured a miserable twenty-minute ride back to McDonalds with his frustrated father sternly lecturing him on his adolescent carelessness. After hearing the details of their story, my mother delightedly handed them the bills and coins. The young boy’s face lit up, thrilled that the change was completely intact and that his father was happy once again.
As the retelling of the story of her long morning and another lengthy phone call was winding down, I asked her if the man had offered her a reward for her kindness. She laughed and said, “the look on that little boy’s face when I returned the money was the only reward I needed.” An hour of her time, worth the wait, another lesson learned from my amazing mother!
My mother cautiously asked what they were looking for. The young father explained that he had given his son a $100 bill to go to the counter to purchase their breakfast. As the boy returned to sit with his dad, the change had apparently fallen out of his pocket. Unaware of their misfortune, they left the restaurant, got into their car, and began their drive home. As they were pulling into their driveway, the father realized that his son had not returned the change and asked him for it. The eleven-year old boy eagerly reached into his empty pockets and reluctantly discovered that the money was gone. The father was angry and the boy upset as they hurriedly backed out of the driveway and began the speedy drive back to McDonalds.
When they entered the restaurant, it was clear to my mother that these were the people for whom she had been waiting. The sad look on the young boy’s face was revealing; it had all of the evidence of a son who had endured a miserable twenty-minute ride back to McDonalds with his frustrated father sternly lecturing him on his adolescent carelessness. After hearing the details of their story, my mother delightedly handed them the bills and coins. The young boy’s face lit up, thrilled that the change was completely intact and that his father was happy once again.
As the retelling of the story of her long morning and another lengthy phone call was winding down, I asked her if the man had offered her a reward for her kindness. She laughed and said, “the look on that little boy’s face when I returned the money was the only reward I needed.” An hour of her time, worth the wait, another lesson learned from my amazing mother!
As we approach this Mother’s Day, let us be grateful for the countless lessons of our treasured mothers, who stand strong as our first and ultimate coaches.
As we approach this Mother’s Day, let us be grateful for the countless lessons of our treasured mothers, who stand strong as our first and ultimate coaches. Let us appreciate their unwavering devotion, their unselfish support, and the guiding light they provide to their children in the lifelong pursuit of their dreams. May we fully acknowledge and reverently cherish their everlasting mentorship as they continue to teach us to be our best, from a simple lesson and plan to master the fundamentals of shooting a basketball to the profound modeling of a life filled with empathy, kindness, and honor.
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