And Sometimes They Surprise You

Austin shared this essay he wrote for school, with me. It made me cry.

Renaissance Person of the Year
Austin Meehan

I believe that there are many characteristics that a modern day man or women would need to be considered a renaissance person of the year. A renaissance person needs to be well rounded and have great qualities to make up an ideal role model for others in today’s society. This modern day renaissance person would need to be honest, smart, hopeful, caring, trusting, hardworking and strong on the inside. I believe that my mom has all of the characteristics needed to be a modern day renaissance person, so I nominate her.

My mom is very honest and at times this can be extremely difficult. She can tell the truth even when it hurts. I remember one time when my mom was feeling down, so I asked what was wrong. Instead of saying nothing was wrong like most parents would do, she told me what was making her feel that way and what I could do to help so that things would eventually be better. Unlike other parents, she doesn’t just glaze over her children’s work; instead she not only tells us what can be improved, but she helps us get it to that stage.

My mom is very trusting and smart. I can tell her anything or any of my problems and she will be able to understand them and tell me what to do if I want to fix them. Many of my friends have told me they have a bad relationship between with their parents. They aren’t able to talk to their parents without their parents being disappointed or not knowing what to do or say. My mom understands me and shares her own experiences so we can relate to each other.

A modern renaissance person of the year would need to be hardworking and strong to achieve that award. My mom stays up for hours into the night writing her blog and humor books that inspire thousands of parents to enjoy their kids and see the lighter side of life while being a mom to me and my five siblings. She works hard to make enough money for us because my parents are divorced and my dad isn’t reliable with child support. Even with all these stressors and factors working against her, she is still able to keep calm and make it through without help. She does everything she can to make life for us better while still being there for us as a caring mom.

There are few, if any, modern day men and women that meet the requirements for the renaissance person of the year, but I agree completely that my mom is one of the few that deserves it. She is honest, trusting, hardworking and everything in-between. She is what makes life for my siblings and me great; she’s the well rounded renaissance women of our society.