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Posted in Business on March 24, 2010 by Erin KarlstadEulogy of my Mother
Posted in Opinions on May 15, 2011 by Erin KarlstadPat Freiheit was my mother & I am her one and only child. My perspective and experience with her is unique from all others because I’m the only person on earth that had the honor to have called her Mom.
That being said, I want to honor her memory by speaking of what I know better than anyone: Pats role as mother.
While I was growing up, It was always my Mom & I. My mother was not average or typical. She was old-school in her approach to parenting. She played the roll of mother & father and did it well. I loved, feared & respected her. She ruled with an iron fist like a father but she made dinner from scratch every night like a mother. Every evening dinner was always at 6pm sharp and if I was late or I didn’t like what she cooked, I wouldn’t eat that night. My chore list was literally endless. As soon as I though my work was done, she would always find something else for me to do. I never complained, I knew not to complain, because her reaction to such behavior was worse than the chores. My mom would not tolerate disrespect or laziness. She taught me to be grateful & appreciative. With me she instilled work ethic, common decency & common sense.
When I got into my teens, she used to tell me “I know you better than you know yourself”. And I always responded with adolescent defiance: “You don’t know the half of it, Ma”. But she always knew! I could not hide anything from her. My Mother knew everything about me, she eyed my every move like a bird of pray. She kept me from slipping into the dark places that teens tend to gravitate towards. Partying with my friends was unheard of & boyfriends were illegal. She never released her iron fist. My friends in high school called her “Sergeant Slaughter” because of her task-master ways along with her Army veteran status & she loved it! She had a wicked sense of humor, so she took “Sergeant Slaughter” as a term of endearment. At the time, in my teenage mind, I hated that iron fist…but it was for my own good. Out of my group of friends, I was one of the very few that made it though high school without a drug habit or a criminal record. She refused to let such things happen to her daughter.
As an adult, my mother became my closest confidant. She listened and advised, never passing judgment. Although she wouldn’t hesitate to tell me I’m a dumb-ass when I was making a bad decision, she allowed me to make my own choices & learn from my mistakes. She recognized that her duty as a parent was to give me the tools to develop the skills to become an effective, productive, responsible adult & she succeeded. She was a dynamic mother.
I am now a mother, I have been for over 14 years. Of course, being a mother myself has made me recognize and appreciate all the methods behind the madness. My son, Ethan, was the apple of her eye. She was so proud to be a grandmother to such an intelligent, well-rounded child. She saw her grandson as the grand culmination of her life’s efforts. I am proud that I was able to return my mothers investment in me by providing her with a legacy, her beloved grandson.
My mother sculpted me like clay into the person I am today. I am forever grateful & will continue to keep her memory alive by living by the standards & code of ethics she instilled. I love you, Mom.
What grounds your moral compass?
Posted in Opinions with tags morals, organized religion on February 6, 2011 by Erin KarlstadParticipating in an organized religion is not auto-calibration for ones moral compass. Public displays of faith are just that: displays. Being a descent human comes from within ones self.
Great minds
Posted in Opinions with tags artist, free-thinkers, mad genius on February 6, 2011 by Erin KarlstadFree thinkers, artists, innovative minds & mad geniuses: These are the people who create the world. These are the people responsible for the advancement of mankind. These people are evolution.
Nature is “God”
Posted in Opinions with tags god, nature, paganism, religion, theology on February 6, 2011 by Erin KarlstadThe way nature works is something we cannot fully understand, nor are we meant too. If there is a “god” it is nature. Nature creates, nature sustains & nature destroys. Nature is all around us and cannot be avoided. Nature is older than time and will proceed the human race. Respect nature and it will return with fruitful bounty. Defile nature and it will return erode with destructive force.



























