Lessons Learned and Remembered
In celebration of Mother’s Day, we spoke to some local community leaders and asked them what advice or lessons they were taught by their mothers. The relationship between mother and child is unlike any other. There is often a delicate balance between limitless love, and the guidance needed to ensure that a child will grow into a person of good moral character, and to reach their fullest potential.
A mother’s love can be a powerful force, healing scraped knees, soothing the soul of a child in distress, and instilling limitless confidence that encourages a child to believe that anything is possible. There is no telling just how much the dedication and love of mothers across the globe have influenced our leaders, our change-makers, and our future as a whole.
As you read these stories perhaps you might find yourself reminiscing about the memories, advice, and lessons learned from mother figures in your own life. And for those reading who fill the role of mother or mother figure in the lives of youth in your care, may you be reminded just how much of an impact your efforts make today, tomorrow, and for years to come.
As told to Jillian Amodia
![Photo of Gwedolyn Queen Pindell](https://wordpress-938214-4066445.cloudwaysapps.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Gwendolyn_Queen_Pindell-765x1024.png)
Rhonda Pindell-Charles, Esq.
Annapolis City Councilwoman/Alderwoman
Self Care Is Not Selfish, It Is Essential to Self Preservation
Long before our skies were filled with planes and passengers, my Mother, Gwendolyn Queen Pindell (1924-2015), believed in the flight attendants’ instructions… READ MORE
![](https://wordpress-938214-4066445.cloudwaysapps.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Lisa_Rodvien_AND_Joan_Brannigan-1024x802.png)
Lisa Rodvien
Council Chair & District 6 Councilwoman
Knowledge Is A Lifelong Pursuit
My Mom, Joan Brannigan is a person who leads by example. She is always reading and learning something new… READ MORE
![Photo of Joanna Bache Tobin and Mary-Frances Bache](https://wordpress-938214-4066445.cloudwaysapps.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Joanna_Bache_Tobin_and_-Mary-Frances_Bache.png)
Joanna Bache Tobin, Ph.D.
President, Board of Education of Anne Arundel County
Never Underestimate Your Abilities
My mother, Mary-Frances Bache (89 years of age) lives with us, and I confess I continue to learn from her every single day… READ MORE
![Photo of Corine Frank and family](https://wordpress-938214-4066445.cloudwaysapps.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Corine-Frank-1024x733.png)
Corine Frank
Board of Education District 3
Pick Your Battles
The advice my mother gave me when I first got married was to pick my battles. I have since found this to be incredibly valuable in many… READ MORE
![Photo of Karen Adams Gilchrist and Alice Adams](https://wordpress-938214-4066445.cloudwaysapps.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Karen_Adams_Gilchrist_and_Alice_Adams-1024x793.png)
Karen Adams-Gilchrist
President and CEO of Providence Center
Be True To Yourself
My mother, Alice Adams, instilled a host of core values in me that have made me the person that I am today. Some of the most… READ MORE
![Photo of Steuart Pittman and his mother](https://wordpress-938214-4066445.cloudwaysapps.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Steuart_Pittman-1024x720.png)
Steuart Pittman
Anne Arundel County Executive
Always Be Humble
Manners are very important to my mother, and to her the most important demonstration of good manners is humility… READ MORE
![Photo pf Edward Jackson’ mother](https://wordpress-938214-4066445.cloudwaysapps.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Edward_Jackson_Mother.jpg)
Edward C. Jackson, PhD
Chief of Police for the City of Annapolis
Be Kind and Respectful
There isn’t a single day that goes by that I don’t think of my mother… READ MORE
Every mother has a story, and the best stories live on through the lives of the children to which they were taught and told. This Mother’s Day we extend a warm hug and generous gratitude to the amazing mothers who have instilled and continue to instill valuable lessons of love, humility, hard work, and the importance of family and community.