Written by Arianna Brooks
If you’re familiar with Berea, you probably know my mother already. I often introduce myself as “Arianna, Beth Mennemeyer’s daughter”. I share my mom with my two younger brothers and, in a way, the whole Berea community. I don’t mind sharing her awesomeness, though! While Berea may take some (or a lot) of her time and energy, our relationship has only been strengthened by this phase of our lives. Of course, Berea hasn’t just influenced my relationship with my biological mom. It’s also introduced me to several maternal figures.
On a drive home recently, Mom and I were talking about Berea’s “maternal culture”. When I laughed about how many “moms” I have at Berea, Mom replied, “You wouldn’t have it any other way.” She’s right! I’m deeply grateful for the wonderful women Berea has brought into my life. When we began Berea, the only teacher I knew was Judy Musick. Over the years, I’ve met teachers like Sra. Steen, Maggie Sanazaro, and Jen Hogan. Now they stop in the hallways to check in with me every day. I can’t count the number of times that Berea teachers have listened to me, let me cry on their shoulders, or given me hugs to celebrate good news.
I’m thankful for all the moms I’ve gained at Berea. I’m even more thankful for my actual mother. Beth Mennemeyer is Berea’s rock, but she’s also my rock. As a child, I thought that growing up meant that you wouldn’t need your mother anymore. Now I realize that couldn’t be further from the truth. My mom helps me think through difficult decisions, like college, and simple ones, like which kind of cake we should get. She listens to my ramblings. Even though she’s not a very cuddly person by nature, she always makes sure that I get enough hugs (which is a lot). Not to mention she’s a mean cook and has great taste in TV shows.
Mother’s Day has never been a huge holiday in my family. The most my mom’s ever asked for is for Dad to fix the broken screen door. This year, we have the added distraction of my birthday falling on Mother’s Day. So let me take this space to celebrate all our Berea moms, but especially my mother. I love you, Mom, and thank you for being here every step of the way.