My Mentors

In his book, Where Have All the Leaders Gone, Lee Iacocca lists five mentors: Nicola Iacocca (his father) gave him optimism; Charlie Beacham gave him common sense; Robert McNamara gave him discipline; his mother gave him love; and his wife Mary (who died of Diabetes Type 1 complications) gave him courage. Iacocca inspired me to think of the mentors in my life.

My Grandmother
My first mentor, my grandmother, Juanita Avendaño de Montoya, gave me ambition, perseverance, and strength.
She once was wrongfully terminated; she, along with her union, fought her former employer and won a wonderful settlement. The money was used to buy a house. Some people lived in cardboard boxes; I was proud to live in a brick and mortar house.
Grandmother was a woman of great determination and she worked hard to feed us, although, at times, food was scarce. She was industrious from sun-up to sun-down: cooking, crocheting, sewing, and gardening; I inherited her industrious ways!
Grandmother was an entrepreneur. She developed a successful door-to-door sales route selling clothes she bought from a thrift store.
Every Saturday morning we shopped at the same thrift store in Calexico. I guess this is why I love antiques; the look and feel of old things fascinates me! The little woman chose the best of the clothes to purchase, but even if they seemed long-gone-has-beens she took them home, laundered and mended them, or cut them up and sewed something completely new. Grandmother was kind and often extended credit to people who couldn’t pay.

Mrs. Jorgensen
Mrs. Jorgensen, my first-grade teacher, gave me discipline and love of reading. She spent many hours mentoring me when other teachers were taking breaks. I love reading because of her; I have a passion for books. I check out more than a dozen books at the library every week.
I received many honors for reading, and in eighth grade, I received the Presidential Academic Award. I guess I’m bragging…forgive me!

Mrs. Jones
Mrs. Jones gave me shelter, love for humanity, and love of music. She had been my third-grade teacher, and when I needed a foster home, because of troubles at home in my sixth grade, she embraced me with loving arms.
Once she had been my teacher, now she was my mother! I was already determined I was going to University, Shirley further branded higher education in my heart. She taught me to cook and sew. She was an accomplished pianist and she taught me to play the piano!

Mr. Himes
Mr. Himes was a brilliant mathematician and retired teacher. He encouraged me to further my education. He shared his books and the bounty of his backyard garden with me every year at Christmas. I made tamales and gave him several dozen, and he would bring me oranges, tangerines, canned green beans (my favorite), and tomatoes for our Christmas supper.
He had been in a secret WWII mission, and where many men would have bragged of their clandestine adventures, he never talked about it; he was too humble to brag! His son spoke of it at his memorial.
The last time I saw him he was but a skeleton. I massaged his feet as he lay in home hospice.
Mr. Himes was a surrogate father, and gave me admiration, affection, and encouragement. And for a lonely, country girl living in the big city, this was very charitable.

Jeanie Cash
Jeanie Cash received the National Principal of the year award; when I worked with her I understood why. She had been a motivating teacher, and now she was a dynamic administrator.
She hired me to help the Reading Specialist a few hours per day. But eventually she developed a job just for me. She opened a children’s science museum and she gave me creative license! I was the school’s science curator-and I loved it! I demonstrated small-interactive-science experiments to the children.
Jeanie encouraged me to return to school by giving me flexible working hours, and I was able to further my education. Some employers speak of flex hours and when you ask for time off they frown. Jeanie was a transformational leader!
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Some of my teachers considered their job a ministry and others hated going to work and screamed at us. Which one made a difference? Which one sent out a conscious ripple of goodness that is riveting today through students who are teachers, lawyers, or doctors who will find the cure for cancer?
The future of our county weighs heavily on our teachers! Aside from family, teachers are often a child’s first mentor; it IS an honor! They deserve a good salary!
Mentors gave me hope; their love and guidance empowered me. I fully believe God sent them to me! The life I touch for good or ill will touch another life, and that in turn another, until who knows where the trembling stops or in what far place my touch will be felt. ~Frederick Buechner
My mentors were educators who were truly the salt of the earth. I was a child with a good mind, and back before No Child Left Behind these individuals helped me succeed in school! As an adult, they recognized my drive and their accolades propelled me to higher levels.
No one can make it alone! We need each other along the lumps and bumps of life. Ask God to send you a mentor and always be ready for one. God says, “Ask and it shall be given unto you."
Desires expressed with passion to the Universe return fulfilled. The Universe has no choice but to grant your heart’s earnest desire. Be diligent with your wishes. Be positive, deny negative!
In Native American tradition, once you hit the half-century mark you are considered a grandparent whether you have grandchildren or not! It is a beautiful tradition that embraces elders (mentors) teaching the younger generation.
As a grandmother, I hope that I can be a mentor to my grandchildren and pass on the wisdom I have learned.
I experienced many setbacks, failures, trials, but I trudged on with the help of mentors. And like the stream they helped me win! In the confrontation between the stream & the rock, the stream always wins, not through strength but by perseverance.~H.J.Brown.