My mom - My hero

My mom flew into town today to hang out with our kids for a few days. Since we moved to Utah from Colorado Springs, she doesn't get to see them nearly as much. My daughter was awake at 5:30 am with excitement for when Nina would come!

However, in her day job for the last 23 years, the reception she gets from people is not so kind.

My mom has been a substitute teacher since 1996 in Middle and High Schools. And she's my hero.

Subs are the unseen heroes of our society in a weird way. They do a very thankless job for not much money, but they serve the people who teach our youth. And Lydia, my mom, is one of the very best. She is in such high demand that she could work everyday if she wanted.

When she landed she got a call from a teacher who was having to move as her husband was getting stationed in Germany. This teacher was a bit distraught because the airlines had been changing flights and she wasn't sure about the exact day she would be back after house hunting. My mom, very calmly, says, "It's no problem, you just enjoy the trip and when you get back, your class will be ready for you." I can only imagine the relief on the other end of the phone.

Or the long term subbing she does when someone gets ill or has a death in the family or just had a baby. The comfort she can bring to the school and to those teachers is amazing.

So how does this relate to business you may ask? Well, for one, my mom is an amazing human being who grew up in some of the poorest conditions in the USA and we should always celebrate amazing humans who overcome odds. Who I am as a person is largely because of the persistent prayers and support of my parents.

But more specifically, I think more businesses ought to be investing in their local schools and paying attention to and supporting the teachers there. The better the education in a community, the better the talent, the better the jobs, it just makes cities and communities better. People, no heroes, like my mom make business owners in Monument, CO better because of her commitment to education.

So thank a teacher today. Thank a substitute teacher today also as they serve the heroes who serve our kids and our community