One of the sayings my mom always told me was, “Healing starts with a calm heart.” I remember hearing it most clearly when I was in elementary school. I had broken my ankle while skipping down the stairs (classic kid move, right?) I was in a lot of pain, but as soon as my mom showed up at school, she stayed calm, and told me everything would be okay. She didn’t panic, and that made all the difference for me. 

I’ve always believed that the simplest lessons are often the most powerful ones. My mom often said, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” To me this wasn’t just a catchy phrase; it was a rule to live by. She taught me early on that treating others with kindness and respect wasn’t just the right thing to do–it was the way to build better relationships and a happier life. This wasn’t some abstract concept to her; it was something she lived every day, and she made sure we understood it, too.