When I was eight years old, my father walked out on us, never to be seen or heard from again. He left mom with a car and payments (she did not know how to drive), rent, withdrew all the money from their account, and me,to take care of. She had no job at the time, so she went out and got a job making $1.10 an hour. We walked everywhere we went in all kinds of weather. To ensure that I had what I needed, she did without. She had a tiny little coat and no gloves in the winter months so that I could have some and be warm. She went to work, came home and made supper, then helped me with my homework. My grandma lived in the upstairs of our two family house and she took care of her, too. I remember one night feeling sick and I kept calling mommy, mommy. Finally she woke up. She was so tired and when I said I'd been calling for a long time, she said to wait until I had kids. She was so right. After a few years of working, we could afford a little more. One year I wanted a real Christmas tree, so off to the shopping center we went with our little grocery cart. We picked one out, laid it across the cart, and up and down hills to home we went, mom with no gloves. It kept falling off, and we all laughed our heads off. Mom did not cuss back then, or I'm sure she would have. We got it home, finally got it put up, ornaments and all, and then it toppled over onto the floor. More laughter. That was the thing, not matter how bad things were or got, we laughed so hard, tears would come to our eyes. Over the years we went to different parts of Florida each year and although we had to walk everywhere, these are memories I will never forget. Even after I was married with children, mom gave up everything so that we would have a place to live and money for groceries and clothes. She worked 32 years, then went to another job until she passed away, all so she could help my family out financially and she didn't like not working. There was nor will be no kinder, sweeter, hard working person ever. If I can only be a tiny bit as good as her, I will be happy.