Mothers love their children and are proud of them. The want the world for them and would shield them from life's every disappointment and pain if they could. And no matter how old the child, a mother carries her love, pride and concern in her heart forever.

I know these things because my mother reminds me regularly. Often when discussing my career choices.

My mother was a school teacher. Not because she had a deep and driving passion for teaching school, but more because it was one of the few career choices available to her and which she would be supported in choosing. Although she was a terrific teacher and was creative and dedicated in educating her students it was not a career that fed her soul. The trade off she made for dealing with politics, constantly fighting to eek out the smallest of raises in a school district that was one of the lowest paying in the state, getting injured while breaking up fights and indifferent, ill-prepared and sometimes angry students was that she had tenure and therefore a secure job and now a small pension.

Now she wants that security for me. My mother has watched as I've zig-zagged on my career path, hopscotching between industries and educational institutions. She worries about my ability to secure healthcare and wonders how I will be able to support myself in retirement. When I was in high school she suggested that I should go to UC Berkeley and study engineering. Perhaps if I had when the personal computing boom was beginning I would have been in a position to had an impact on the subsequent bay area tech boom and possibly made a killing on stock options one day.

But that wasn't a path I would have thrived on as a relentlessly curious and restless minded girl. When I ask my mother what I had a passion for as a child, searching for clues for my true path and purpose, she can only recall that I was interested in everything and at one point set out to read the entire Encyclopedia Britannica in between listening to my favorite records, dancing along to shows on television, playing doctor and "treating" my sisters' ailments, putting on variety shows, writing poetry, baking in my Easy-Bake Oven and learning new skills in order to earn girl scout badges. How my mother managed to even suggest any educational or career path baffles me after hearing all that.

Although my mother struggles with understanding what I do in order to pay the rent and fights the fear that many women have of eventual bag-lady-dom on my behalf, she still is proud that I'm an educated, independent woman who isn't afraid to try, possibly fail, but always keeps trying. And I am grateful that she raised me to believe that without question I could go to one of the finest universities in the country, study and succeed in a career that is still mostly male or that I could choose not to follow that path because truly I could accomplish anything to which I set my mind.

Thanks, mom. For that and much more, I love you. Happy Mother's Day!

Related links:

From CareerBuilder: Because she said so -- Mom's career advice

From Manager Tools Forums, hrjen says:

The best career advice my mom ever gave me was "choose your boss, not your job" and I've found that to be extrordinarily [sic] good advice. If you trust your boss and you are learning from your boss, it may be good to stay, if not, go find someone that will teach you and advocate for you.

From Eco-Libris:

Stirring It Up: How to Make Money and Save the World by Gary Hirshberg

Here's a book you should give your mother if you're considering a career in the green biz world, or if you're already there, and your mom is not sure if it's the right move for you or wants to know more on what does it actually mean 'to do good and well at the same time'.

Normal Boy shares Career Advice From Mom

In her advice column at Teens Today with Vanessa Van Petten, Vanessa offers 7 Ways to Build Your Kid's Resume

Chantel "Chani" Christie interviews Sketch The Artist at her blog NYC Gossip Girl (warning blog plays music automatically, scroll down to stop) and Sketch says:

When I started drawing at 5, I had an obsession with the subway. So I used to draw trains all the time. She used to hold my hand as I drew. So after awhile I started drawing on my own. Every now and then she would give me tips and advice. My Mother is my biggest supporter. (Smiles)

Queen Samantha interviews Patricia Bazan-Garrubbo, founder of Terralina Skincare (popular with many BlogHers), for Guest of a Guest. Patricia shares this about her mother's influence on her career as an entrepreneur:

Not giving up on any one thing has been key. I also have the inspiration of growing up with a working mother- who is a scientist, a professor in a Medical School, and raised 5 children! She did all of that, and continues to do it, gracefully - I never felt that I had a mother who wasn’t supportive of me and what I did.

From twitter:

Donna Schwartz Mills (SoCal Mom) shares: "My mom's advice: You can be anything you want. But don't aim too high, you'll only get hurt." (Sounds much like my mom who worries for me, Donna).

Mammaloves shares:"I don't know if was strictly career advice, more life advice. Learn to live on your own and take care of yourself." (I think your mom and mine would get along swell!)

Did your mother give you any career advice? Care to share so we can all benefit from her wisdom? Please add a comment or a link to your blog in Mr. Linky below.