By Glenny Rosario, Certified Life Coach
The Women Who Raised Me
As a young girl, I grew up watching my mom, my aunts, and my grandmother juggle housework and jobs—devoting their lives to their kids, husbands, and families. Then somewhere around 50, the kids got married, they retired, and many of them faded into the background of everyone else’s lives. Some became full-time babysitters for their grandkids. Others quietly surrendered their femininity, dreams, and passion for the future.
My Mother Broke the Mold
Then one day, my mother did the unthinkable. After 30 years of marriage and four grown children living their own lives, she decided to get divorced and go back to work. This woman didn’t speak English and never had a formal career—she’d worked in factories her whole life. But she did it.
She told us plainly:
“I’m going to live my life the way I want—and I’m not babysitting your kids.”
She became certified as a home attendant, got a job caring for an elderly woman, and even enrolled in English classes. In the process, she met someone new, remarried, and lived a joyful 15 years before she passed away. She has always been my inspiration.
