Mom gave me this book at least 10 years ago. I will finally start reading it instead of flipping through it.

As a girl I spent countless hours riding shotgun in my mother’s black, shiny, pick-up truck.
It was always new but not by luck.

She did well. She’s the most fearless woman I know.
A hard worker, an entrepreneur.

Many of those hours I spent waiting. And waiting. And waiting. But I did not mind.
I did not have a smart phone to perfect social media status updates nor a tablet to unwind.

No. Instead, I had cassettes, CDs, notepads, markers, books!
I escaped into my dreams. Dreams to create things and into my future I’d look.

I’d write song lyrics. I’d compose dance moves in my mind.
I’d create dreams like the dots in my connect-a-dot books. I’d sketch out fashion designs.

Still riding shot gun with mom… Her always on the phone, usually helping the person on the other end.

I remember thinking besides a triple threat, I ultimately want to be a business woman like mom but, I just don’t know.
She helps and helps and helps people but many did not appreciate her.

How can they turn their backs on the only person that got them into their first home?
If that is how real estate is, I will rather play the corporate game, collect a salary and advance to go.

So I hit the books and became a first-generation college graduate.
Keeping up with grades, civic duties and made room here and there for creative passion.

But through the years mother would nudge and patiently continue to teach me.
Slowly my ears welcomed more and more her nuggets of knowledge, tuition-free.

See it’s not that I did not value the business she built, in fact I couldn’t be more proud of her.
I just didn’t want to go straight into it and not pursue being my own composer.

Now I laugh and wish I’d see.
Her wisdom didn’t have to wait. It would only make me a better me.

Today mom sat shot gun, waiting for me in her truck, holding my baby boy and showing him videos on her smart phone.
Meanwhile, I was inside a house, making sure it is ready to become somebody’s home.

Mom riding shot gun with me. I hope I inspire her as she has me. I continue to strive for my dreams still, but now I know better and listen deeper when mom speaks.

As a member of a very cool team of influencers for Verizon Wireless I have received compensation to think of a story in my life and write about it for Verizon’s #SwitchersRemorse campaign. If you switched away from Verizon and are regretting it, don’t worry. They’re making it easy for customers to come back. For more information click here  or head over to your local Verizon store.