Over the last eight years, Mike has read thousands of essays describing the amazing moms of Southlake.
May's Letter from the Editor
It's a simple act she performs even before her baby takes abrfirst step and continues with an encouraging phrase offered before a nervousbrperformance. Eventually, it becomes a state of mind that lives on long after thebrchild has left home.
Heard from the bleachers and auditoriums of my youth, fourbrwords — “Make your momma proud!” — could help me overcome any obstacle. Mybrmother always said it with a rosy-cheeked smile so big her eyes squinted withbrjoy.
During my formative years, those words offered more than anybrhome field advantage. As an adult, a mere phone call transported her words ofbrencouragement to me exactly when I needed them most. Although she's no longerbrhere to encourage me in person, the repetition of those words left herbrinimitable voice imprinted in my head, producing the lasting effect shebrdesired.
Fortunately, I know a mother's love firsthand, as do so manybrkids whose parents read this magazine. Each year, I look forward to readingbrhundreds of heartfelt essays from kids in our community extolling the virtuesbrof their mothers.
“Awesome as a cherry blossom,” “hugs that last long afterbrshe lets go” and “magnetic to greatness” are some of my favorites from thisbryear's entrants into our Eighth Annual Best Mom Essay Contest. The latter camebrfrom the winning essay of Old Union Elementary fourth-grader Preston Stone asbrhe called his mother, Jerri, his own personal hero.
Jerri may be this year's winner, but so are all of thebrmothers whose kids shared their essays with us. I know for a fact they madebrtheir mommas proud, too.
Yours in Southlake Style...
Mike Tesoriero