What I've learned.

We celebrated mom Marlinda Routt's life on Oct. 11th. Mom's love filled the room with a touching service of stories, pictures and music with family and friends just the way she wanted to be remembered.
Thank you to all our friends and family for your continued support, prayers, texts, visits, meals, and the hands and feet that carried us through these past few months.

Here I'm sharing some reflections of life as her daughter that has shaped who I am today and how her legacy lives on.

On the night of Moms diagnosis in the hospital room on July 8th when her and I were alone she said that all she can think of is how grateful and lucky she is.

Grateful and Lucky were the words she used when receiving news of stage 4 pancreatic cancer. Another example of her strength and resiliency.

Dear Mom, A Thank you for teaching me:

Resiliency- I witnessed your resiliency through some of the toughest times in life. You never gave up. You worked hard and accomplished everything you put your mind to. You taught me how to adapt to any situation and see change as an opportunity to grow and learn.

Encouragement - The words I can’t and I don’t know were never part of your vocabulary.
You would say, “If you don’t know, learn it until you do know.”
Never miss an opportunity to learn grow and as person.
Mom would never use her own feelings to discourage my dreams.
She refused to put fear into my heart.

Strength - You exemplified strength as you had to start over so many times in life. You respected yourself and fought hard for what was right, and always spoke your mind.

You had the courage to start over relocating many times in order to keep us safe. You were showed me to never tolerate disrespect and that we always have a choice, opportunities and the freedom to do what makes us happy.

You taught me to stand up for myself. You did not save me from my own problems but encouraged me to advocate for myself.
* Except for that one time when….you threatened my ex-boyfriend on the phone if he ever called or came near me again.
You said. Quote- “You may be a hot blooded Italian, but I’m a hot blooded Brazilian and I will kick your ass!!”

Faith- PSALM 23 is prayer you shared with me at a young age to read when I felt anxious. I memorized it and still say to out loud to this day.
You taught me to talk to god daily and that he hears our prayers and answers them. Sometimes in ways we do not expect, so listen closely.
Believe in God. Jesus and the Holy Spirit and Heaven. With hope and faith you will never feel lost.

Confidence- Never go back on your decisions. If you make a decision have the confidence to move forward. Going back on decisions you have made does not change the circumstance. When you believe in your decisions you earn the respect of others and yourself.

Altruism- There are endless stories of the ways you helped people. Through giving dozens of people a home to live in, teaching them to work and helping them get jobs and helping your family in Brazil.
One example I’d like to share is about a Christmas we spent in Brazil when I was twelve years old.
On Christmas morning there was a picture of a family in poverty on the front page of the newspaper. They were quoted saying "All we want for Christmas is a loaf of bread.”
Mom and my father without any hesitation decided to take me to shop for groceries for the family, then search for them in the foothills of Brazil.
After hours of driving to an area without an address, with the help of strangers on the street and a picture of the family we were lead to their home.
We knocked the door of a tiny dilapidated wood shack and a man fearfully cracked the door open. We told them we brought them Christmas and the family of 5 came out one by one crying tears of joy. We gave them loaves of bread and bags of food and even chocolate to enjoy.
-Because of this experience and countless other ways mom helped people, it helped shape how I raised my own children to give back to the community by volunteering with dozens of philanthropies and even traveling to foster home in Brazil.

Love - You taught me to love unconditionally and always keep my heart open even if its been hurt. With love in your heart anything is possible.

Forgive- to forgive people that hurt you. For they know not what they do. Most of the time it was never really about you.

Passion- Live, create, and love with a lot of passion. Use the gifts God has given to make people happy.

Work- You taught me your trade. You Bought me my first work bag with a hairdryer, brushes and scissors at age 16. I was your assistant after school. You told me as long as I have my scissors I will never go hungry. Boy were you right. You prepared me to be an independent woman years before I was married.

Gratefulness- Be grateful. The world owes us nothing. There is always someone that has less than you do. If you have a grateful heart you will find joy in the simplest things and that is a gift.

Pride - You taught me to take pride in everything l do, but most of all remain humble.
There was time you saved your all your tips at work for months to send me to a modeling school called Barbizon when I was 13. Your intention was not for me to be model, but to learn to walk with grace and confidence because you knew I was struggling in middle school.

Compassion- You taught me to show compassion for people, never judge them, you don’t know where they have been or what they have gone though.
Be a friend to those that need friendship.
Make the world a better place- Even the smallest gesture can change someones life.

My mother Marlinda touched many lives. She helped many people. She worked hard and loved her life.

DEAR MOM:

*What I am is because of you.

*What I strive to be to my family and friends is the daughter of
the strongest woman I know…Marlinda.

*As I walk through the valleys I will pray and think of you.

Forever your Filhã..

Va com Deus.

EU TE AMO