A Remarkable Mother

Two years ago - just before Mother's Day - I noticed a book by former US President Jimmy Carter - about his mother. Remembering (from his days in office) that she had been quite a character, I bought the book - in part hoping to pick up some tips on how to be a good mother! (I mean, if your son writes a book about you - and titles it A Remarkable Mother - you must have done a few things right!)














There is a lot to admire in the life of Miss Lillian, as she was called when her son was in office. Lillian Gordy Carter had a career, before most women did, as a nurse in her community - and she continued nursing all her life. Then, after her husband died, and her children were grown, she surprised them all by volunteering to work as a nurse in a village in India.

She and her husband lived in the South (in Georgia) before racial integration, but even then they thought "outside the box"... no stereotypes here. (For examples, I'll recommend you read the book!...)














As a wife and mother, she enjoyed all her children - as diverse as they all were - and made an effort to share her husband's interests, even when they weren't necessarily her own. When her husband - and later her son - entered politics, she and the whole family pitched in, campaigning for them...

Lillian Carter lived a busy, productive life - caring for people in her community - as well as those in her family.

My favorite anecdote about her was:

When she was finally told by her doctor that she was too old to drive a car, instead of simply selling her car, she traded it in for a brand-new Cadillac, so that her grandchildren would be happy to drive her around! (Another example of "thinking outside the box"?!)