Some people believe the secret to life lies in gilded halls and tall promises, but I’ve found that true wisdom is often tucked away in the most unassuming places—like a creaky domino table or the pocket of a hard-working mother. Now, before you go assuming I’m about to spin a tall tale, let me assure you: everything here is honest truth, though it might sound like something pulled from the pages of a novela.

I was about six when my father decided to see the wide world from the deck of a fishing boat. He’d be gone for weeks at a time, and on a “generous” day, he’d leave a hundred dollars to help with our expenses for the month—barely enough to cover the mortgage, let alone keep food on the table. My mother was left with two jobs: raising me and earning a living. She punched the clock at a factory, pulling down around fifty cents an hour—making just enough to scrape by. When even that wasn’t sufficient, she’d gather a few friends, spread out the dominoes, and muster her competitive spirit and gamble for money. I was just a little kid playing on the floor beside them, suspecting all along that those kindly older gentlemen occasionally let her win. But if it kept our lights on, who was I to question it?

You see, my mother wasn’t just some down-on-her-luck lady who’d accepted her lot. Far from it. She held two master’s degrees: one in psychology and one in pedology, the study of teaching children. Back in Spain, her family had risen from poverty to comfort—until political turmoil, communism, socialism, and all the other “isms” you can name forced her to leave for the United States. Arriving with next to nothing, she washed clothes by hand for a few meager coins, while my father washed dishes in the back of some restaurant. He would bring home left over food, and that is what we eat. Over time, she managed to land a job as a bolt inspector in a aircraft repair factory, this was during the Vietnam War—three dollars an hour, which was mighty fine compared to what she had been earning.. My father pretended he knew something about aircraft engines and was a mechanics assistant. Things got better. But it was around this time my father decided to start exploring the new land of opportunity that presented itself wherever it would take him except home.

Still, a world-class education on paper didn’t spare her from the reality of working long hours and struggling to raise a child on limited means. Years later, after climbing the ranks to production manager (and beyond), she was making about forty thousand dollars a year—good money for the era. She spent most of it on our home, my schooling (I even went to private school for a time), and all the other small necessities that add up faster than you’d believe. She also struck a bargain with my principal when times were tight, wrangling a discount on my tuition so I could stay in class.

Her constant push for self-reliance must have rubbed off on me: by fourteen (somewhere around that age), I had my first job, paying my own bills and, eventually, going off to college on a mix of scholarships and part-time work. There weren’t many loans available to us, but no matter—we lived by the motto of “if you don’t have it, don’t spend it.” By the time I was nineteen, I had a decent-paying job. My mother and I could finally travel a bit and enjoy a life without crushing debt. Later on, she retired, and I took a job at a big company before starting my own business. I got married, raised kids etc… all before she died. She saw the full outcome of all her sacrifices, and her legacy travels with me every step of the way.

She was there for me when I almost died. She brought a little card with pictures, saying,

No te rindas—Así como tu madre luchó contra viento y marea para salir adelante, tú también puedes encontrar la fuerza necesaria para enfrentar cualquier obstáculo. No siempre verás resultados inmediatos, y a veces la vida se pondrá cuesta arriba, pero si mantienes viva la llama de la esperanza y la determinación, descubrirás que cada paso, por pequeño que sea, te acerca a la meta.

Así que, si algún día te sientes derrotado o sin fuerzas, recuerda las lecciones que te dejó tu madre: la perseverancia, el sacrificio y la fe en que el trabajo duro al final da sus frutos. ¡No te rindas! Tu historia no solo es un testimonio de esfuerzo y superación, sino también un ejemplo vivo de cómo el amor y la voluntad pueden triunfar sobre la adversidad.

In English

Don’t give up—Just as your mother fought against all odds to move forward, you too can find the strength necessary to face any obstacle. You won’t always see immediate results, and sometimes life will be an uphill climb, but if you keep the flame of hope and determination alive, you’ll discover that every step, however small, brings you closer to your goal.

So, if one day you feel defeated or without energy, remember the lessons your mother left you: perseverance, sacrifice, and the faith that hard work will eventually pay off. Don’t give up! Your story is not only a testament to effort and triumph but also a living example of how love and willpower can prevail over adversity.

If there’s one moral to glean from this tale, it’s that no matter how dire a situation seems, there’s a chance to prevail so long as you keep putting one foot in front of the other. Yes, life is the proverbial box of chocolates and you can’t always predict how your fortunes will shift—sometimes they’ll rise on the back of a domino game; other times they’ll pivot on a half-hour job interview. But persevere long enough, and watch how doors that seem bolted shut eventually swing open. And if you happen to have kids depending on you, keep in mind that your devotion to their education—both in the classroom and at the kitchen table—is the best investment you’ll ever make. Take it from someone who watched a mother with two master’s degrees wash clothes for pennies, then rise to management, all for the sake of giving me a shot at a better life.

That, dear friends, is the sum of what I learned from my remarkable mother: a lesson in grit, hope, and the power of a determined spirit. I trust you’ll find a measure of comfort or inspiration in her story—even if it reads a bit like Cinderella story. Just remember that sometimes the greatest lessons don’t come from textbooks, but from watching someone refuse to give up, day after day, until fortune finally tips her hat.

So Thank You Mom one more time. It all worked out.

P.S.

When you travel back in time to recall the past, sometimes you remember details you had long forgotten. Here’s something else that just came back to me: just as my mom played dominoes to help pay our bills, I used to play chess for money during lunch in high school and college. I’d bet my classmates five dollars that I could beat them—sometimes juggling four games at once. Looking back, I realize I learned that strategy and hustle from her too.