My mom, Patsy Fleener, showed me what it looks like to have a beautiful, full life. I’ve always strived to be more like her, and I can only hope to have a life as full as hers when I’m her age!
Mom came to town recently to see one of her grandchildren in a show, and I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to record a conversation with her while she was around.
It’s always a treat to get to spend quality time with my mom, and I hope you’ll enjoy this conversation as we talk about some of the most important life lessons she’s picked up over the years, how she met my dad, Duane, and why I was inspired to dedicate one of my books to her.
In this episode, you’ll hear:
- Lessons learned along the way in a marriage that spanned over five decades
- What it looks like to have a full life
- Stories about me from childhood (including a near-death experience with a spider!)
- And more!
Resources mentioned in this episode:
- Prefer to watch this episode? You can now view and subscribe to our YouTube.
- [BOOK] The Rainbow Comes and Goes: A Mother and Son on Life, Love, and Loss
- [BOOK] Empty Nest, Full Life
- Book my mom’s condo!
- As a thank you for listening, get your 3 free eBooks.
My Key Takeaways:
1) Shared faith and intentional affection are a powerful combination in a marriage. When I look back, I can clearly see how my mom and dad shared both of these things—and how powerful that was for their connection. They loved each other deeply and showed it every single day! However, love on its own doesn’t make a lasting marriage. It was because of their shared faith and strong convictions that they had a beautiful love story.
2) You have to intentionally build good relationships. Becoming your grandchildren’s favorite grandma doesn’t happen by accident. My mom has put so much time and effort into building special relationships with each of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. The same was true of her marriage and friendships throughout her life. You have to persevere through the hard stuff, remain steadfast over the years, and invest in those you care about. My dad told my mom toward the end of his life that if he had known what a great life they would have together, he would have married her much sooner. They still had their challenges and dark seasons of life, but looking back at the journey they had been on, it held far more joy and happiness because they did it together.
3) Anyone can have a full life at any age. There’s a reason I dedicated my book, Empty Nest, Full Life, to my mom and my dad. They lived such a full empty nest lives! And even after Dad passed away and Mom entered a new stage of life, she never acted like her entire life was over. She may have even gotten more active in her “golden years”! I so admire how Mom has taken the time to establish lifelong friendships, to visit those who are homebound, to travel, invest in hobbies, and ensure she could be an active grandma by going to Pilates once a week. So no matter what stage of life you are in right now, why not take some time to consider what your full life in the empty nest years would look like. What actions do you need to take today to make that a reality? What habits should you establish now? What friendships should you invest in this week to ensure they last a lifetime?
About Patsy:
Patsy Fleener is my mother. She was married to my father for 57 and a half years down to the day. Mom raised three daughters, including myself. She was in town for a visit, and I couldn’t pass up the chance to have her on for a conversation!
Would you like to be notified by email when a new No More Perfect Podcast episode releases? Just fill in your name and email and we’ll make sure you’re in the know!
