By: Mary S. Schreiber, PhD, Founder, Guava Senior Home & Healthcare Services

In the last edition, I spoke of my father and his triumphant recovery over heart surgery. His journey of care and how, through his treatment and recovery, I was inspired to start a healthcare company Guava Senior Home & Healthcare Services.

In this edition, I want to talk about the most influential woman in my life – my mother. My mother was the most beautiful, vibrant women who always had a smile on her face and approached each day with the most positive attitude – telling us kids that happiness was a decision that you make every day! She led her life with vigor, integrity and had the core values that your family is everything!

I remember going off to college. Mom would send me a card every single day and would sign the card – “keep the faith.” These cards were known to my roommates as the “faith cards”  and you could hear the echo down the hall “Mary, you got another faith card – do you mind if I read this one – I just need her words of wisdom today”. The cards became so popular that we started to post them on our dorm room door. As other students passed by, they would take a minute to read the words of wisdom. We never really knew the profound affect that a hand written card had on each person – until the cards stopped. The cards just stopped one day.

My mother died at the age of 54 of a brain aneurysm. I flew home to Minnesota and remember sitting at her bedside selfishly begging her to embrace me just one last time. How I longed for her touch, for her soft voice whispering in my ear that all would be well tomorrow. But she never woke up. She never was able to hear my pleas for one last chance to tell her that I loved her. I silently brushed the hair from my mother’s face and realized that her spirit was alive in her 5 children. That the faith cards that had touched so many people were still a part of our lives. I realized that it was the simple pleasures in her life that truly mattered and that a mother’s touch had the power to heal all.

I look to the beauty of life and see my mother in the sunset, in the newly sprouting daffodils and her vigor in the eyes of my children. Spring is such a beautiful season of renewal and a reminder that each day and each person is our most cherished possession.

Guava Senior Home and Healthcare Services

Mary S. Schreiber, PhD – Founder
407 Valley Brook Drive Hockessin, Delaware 19707
Office: 1-888-GUA-VA24   Fax: 1-888-806-2577
mschreiberphd@msn.com
http://www.guavahome care.com
cell – 302-399-6389

Mary S. Schreiber, PhD the Founder of Guava Senior Home & Healthcare Services has received numerous prestigious awards over the years honoring her for her long and varied accomplishments in leadership positions. The awards include Gubernatorial Appointee to the Delaware Commission for Women 1995-2005, Business and Professional Women, Inc. which selected her as Delaware’s Young Careerist of the Year in 1999 and 2000. Then in 2001 Dr. Schreiber was awarded Delaware’s Young Mother of the Year awarded by American Mothers Inc. and the 2002 Distinguished Service Award from the Department of Administrative Service for starting the first Minority and Women Business Enterprise Office in the State of Delaware. In 2007 was awarded the Strathmore’s Who’s Who Worldwide granted to individuals who have exemplified leadership and achievement in their profession and in 2008 Swrathmore’s Who’s Who Worldwide recognition as the Professional of the Year 2008 in Healthcare/Education. Dr. Schreiber has also been appointed to chair Delaware’s National Committee on Women impacting Public Policy and also appointed to the Academic Council for the Walden University Council. Published works include; A Study of Women in Nonprofit Organizations and the Influences of Preferred Work Schedules on Work/Family Conflict, 1996 and a published textbook; Women, Economic Empowerment and Success, 2002. Dr. Schreiber is the mother of three children, Zachary, Matthew and Elizabeth.

Testimonial:

“Dear Mary, Where do I begin. I thank God the day Josephine & I met you. You were like an angel sent to us. I can’t thank you and your staff enough for taking such good care of my Aunt during her illness. You treated us both like family. Your care, concern, support and friendship was very much appreciated. You and your staff did so much for me & Josephine. I can’t thank you enough for your help. Miss seeing & talking to you. Take care.”
~Love, JoAnn Haug