Mom's Best Advice for Hard Times

Russell Adams

She told me to always respect women, no matter what. Respect your mother and love her while she’s still here because when she’s gone there will be a spot in your heart that’s empty. If your mother’s still living, do all you can for her and spend time with her because when she’s gone all you have is memories.

A. Allen

My mom was born Vera Snow in Edwards, Mississippi and came to Chicago in the late 1950s or early '60s and worked at Schulze and Burch Biscuit Co. for 37 years. She retired with perfect attendance: no unexcused absences.

She always instilled in her children “to be strong” because “only the strong survive.” I think she adopted it from the song by Jerry Butler. Nevertheless, it was the one thing of many she would repeatedly emphasize.

Yes, we had a father in the home and his emphasis was education. But I will always remember mom’s sayings because they make sense now, sayings like:

• “Don’t be a burden to society.”

• “Do something for yourself.”

• “Try to earn an honest living for yourself. You’ll sleep better because honesty is the best policy.”

She would say stuff like, “Mama may have and Papa may have but God blesses the child that has its own.” I can still hear her saying, “When you come to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hold on,” or the Bible quote Ephesians 6:13 “[Therefore put on the full armor of God]…so having done all you can to stand, stand, be strong, be strong my son, because only the strong will survive.”

I thank God for all the wonderful mothers who left an impression on their children to make this a better world. As a result of my mother’s sayings, I’m a better person and thus my world is better.

Jimmie Beckless

Always keep your head up and always be nice to other people. And always wish the ladies Happy Mother’s Day.

Addie Bell

She said “hard times don’t always last but tough people do.” That means to me you have to be responsible for yourself at all times.

Debbie Booker

The best advice my mother ever gave me was to trust my heart whenever I am struggling with a decision. She’d ask me what my gut is telling me and advise me to listen to that quiet voice inside my head – advice I continue to use almost every day. My mom and I were very close and I do read my Bible. I pray and ask God to help me through bad and difficult times and to love one another and that life is too short. Thanks, Mom. You are always in my heart.

RIP. Love you. Your daughter.

Gregg Cole

“Save your money.” I didn’t listen to her but she told me. I can see how she’s right.

Danny Davis

My mother always said "God blesses the child that has his own." When you are living with someone else you can't be the captain of your own ship.

Carolyn Duffy

My mom always told me that I should have four paychecks a month and that my rent should be equal to one of those checks. That’s how she taught me to budget things out. My mom believed strongly in having my own home first before I purchase a new car. She taught me about having priorities. She told me money doesn’t grow on trees or run out of faucets like water.

Gerald Farmer

“Be patient, stay calm, don’t complain and don’t get upset. Ask questions. Don’t jump the gun and go off on people. Thank God and be happy.” There was a time when I didn’t have work, I was working for agencies. She said God can do miracles, she said don’t get upset and worry about what people say about you.

Gwendolyn Freeman

“No virus that comes against me shall prosper:” Isaiah 54:17 from the Bible. What that means to me is that God is still in control. And I thank all my friends and customers out there.

Iverson Golston

“Stay with StreetWise” because it’s helped me out a lot, it brought me back to life. If it weren’t for Street- Wise I would be in jail for robbery. I thank you all.

John Hagan

The best advice she gave me was just to enjoy life, because that’s what my mother had always done. Her way of enjoying life was going to White Sox games. She rooted for her team regardless of whether they won. She was a huge White Sox fan. She taught me who to watch for in terms of who could play consistently. It applies the same way at StreetWise, to be consistent at your job.

Lee A. Holmes

She said, whatever I put my mind to I can do it, and whatever I decide to be in life, be the best at it. One of my favorite memories, when she was staying in Chicago Heights, we would go to McDonalds or Wendy’s. When we were walking down the street and I would see some money, it might be $20 or $50, the joke would be you can see what you want to see. One time she saw it but couldn’t pick it up so I did and it was $400. She was very kind-hearted, took people in who didn’t have no place to go. The majority of times, I gave up my room for people who came to the house. That’s why I want to create low-income housing, in memory of her.

JT Tucker

Have respect for people. You just have to empathize. Do what you do. It’s rough out there now. Everything is slow. Just have to try to make it.

Deborah Jackson

"To give up is not an option. Keep on pushing."

Robert Johnson

I remember my mom telling me to be the best I can be. Whatever I did in life to be the best man I can be.

John Kidd

To keep out of trouble, do my schoolwork and hang with good people. If I chose to go the other way, she told me the outcome could be prison, or an early death. She also told me to trust in God.

Tammy Kohnke

My mom’s best advice is “to pick yourself up and dust yourself off" and to know that everything is not about me. "Get over yourself.” It’s uplifting and grounding at the same time.

Robert Laine

My parents made it through the Depression, so a lot of advice had to do with survival. She taught me how to cook; I can buy a cart worth of groceries using coupons and whatnot for $20. She was a coupon saver and I got into that habit myself. She taught me to always have the staples on hand: milk, eggs, bread. Don’t spend money on a name brand when generic will do just as well. She grew up on potato pancakes and grew the potatoes in her back yard. The youngest of 13 kids, a straight-A student in high school, she had to drop out to support the family. My best summation of everything my mom taught me was “to persevere, have faith in God and always stay close to my friends.”

Patricia Lister

To always be grateful for what you have, because there is always someone worse off than you are.

Adrienne Meachum

“Treat people the way you want to be treated. Think before you speak. Realize your words because they make great effects on people.” Because I was bullied as a child and I would go home and tell her. She had to go to the school; it didn’t stop. Four years later, in seventh grade, I defended myself and screamed at the bully to leave me alone. She dropped her milkshake and ran. But my mother said she was going to stop this now because they were turning me into a bully. A few weeks later I changed to a new school and had so many friends. [Still] my mother told me, this is going to make you stronger because you would never do this to people. You’ll get through this and from your pain, you will be a strong person. What hurts you makes you strong and will be a prevention for others not to be mistreated like this. She was right. I am very soft-spoken and believe that you can get your point across by explaining, communicating and listening, because it’s a two-way street.

Murry Mills

“Just never give up and never give in and stay strong.” That’s what she said when I was age 13 and she kicked me out of the house for being rambunctious, gangbanging. She said the police were on the street in front because what I was doing was wrong and either the police would have the house or she would. What changed me was hard times, going to jail.

Donald Morris

Prayer. I was about 7. It’s important for me in order to talk to Him and always remember that there is Somebody out there looking out.

Myron Mott

She told me to solve my own problems. Don’t worry about what other people think. She told me I have only one life to live and to strive to be happy. Get a job, pay your rent, pay your bills, take care of your health.

Tony Sanders

Well, my mama used to tell me to pray on it. Be still and watch the work of God intervene in your situation. Read the Bible and tell me how your patience possesses your soul. Patience is a virtue when you’re going through hardship: a loss of a loved one, financial situation, a homeless mother.

Merv Sims

"Drastic times call for drastic measures."

Jeff Sirota

"Hang in there. It should get better." She said that when I was homeless." I'm not homeless now. I am on disability and I work at StreetWise part-time.

Dean Smith

She used to say in her sweet way, "This too shall pass." She worked full time as a teacher's aide and my dad worked full time in construction (except in the winter, which was colder than it is now). There were five of us kids and something was always happening.

Percy Smith

“Be patient and pray. Thank God. He can heal all things. But prayer without work is dead.” My mother passed in 2016. You think about the comfort and care she offered. She always taught me to work for what you get, don’t expect something for nothing. When I was younger, I had a shoeshine box, sold Jet magazines, washed cars. I earned it, didn’t expect things just because I was here. She used to say, “the world doesn’t owe you anything just because you’re here. You have to work for things.”

Sylvia Spivey

She told me the Lord is my Savior and to get down on my knees and pray. I am a prayer warrior now and have maintained a connection with Him.

Steve Williams

My mom’s best advice was to “be honest and no matter how bad it is, don’t commit any crimes because I’m not going to bail you out.” I had two older sisters but I am the oldest son. I had to set an example. If I caught my brothers doing anything crooked like selling dope, I would whip their butts. I took my daddy’s job; he was in and out. I was in the Cook County Jail for two weeks on account of parking tickets and that reinforced everything my mama said. I didn’t tell her because by that time she had a home on the West Side and might have come down with mortgage money and I didn’t want her to. But you can simply ask people for help and get it. I have just as much as the next person. I moved back into a rehabbed building two months ago but some of my friends didn’t get to because they didn’t pass the background check.

VW

My mom always told us to only spend half of our food stamps at the beginning of the month. We’d go on the 19th of the month and stock up on the rest. That way we’d budget for enough food for the whole month.