Mohammed gift two gifts Mohammed [Applause] thank you contest chair you're welcome my dad once told me there are two gifts that unite us and my mom once told me stop crying and toughen up contest share friends do you feel the contrast growing up I wish that my tough mama was more like that loving and caring she never gave me a hug never said I love you instead she'd be rough and tough you see in 2012 I pursued a psychology degree tough mama disagreed she said son better become a doctor psychologists just label people too much
cleaning obsessive compulsive disorder too many selfies narcissistic disorder but Mom I love psychology son who disobeys his mom disobedient disorder when Dad heard us which side do you think he took that's right mamas he said to me it's all right son behind every action there's a story go find out and as a good teenager I disagreed one Saturday Mama dad and I were at a party Bright Lights big Ballroom but amongst the crowds chatter I overheard Mama talking to a friend one of them told her your son is so good looking like Robert Pattinson who
the vampire from Twilight then Mama replied you're right definitely a vampire when Dad saw my sorrow he said this it's all right son behind every action there's a story go find out what at 19. I went through my first heartbreak do you remember how painful first heartbreaks feel oh yeah when Mama saw the tears in my eyes right away she knew what to say she said son stop crying and toughen up oh that's it I thought a mom was supposed to be caring loving my mama no of that the least you could have done was
to give me a hug oh so I gave her a label heartless mother disorder and I avoided her when she tried to be rough and tough I avoid when she tried to talk to me I avoid when she offered me my favorite food I eight and then I avoid and after three weeks of avoiding her one evening I came home and was going up to my room but I noticed that Mama was sitting in the living room Mama's eyes had tears wait wait my tough mama never cries anyway in my room for half an hour
my dad knocked walked in sat next to me and he said you didn't find out anything about your mom did you can I she's always rough and tough son what good ever comes from labeling and avoiding someone behind everyone's actions there's a story that deserves two gifts your listening ear and your understanding heart these gifts unite us so would you be the first to give your two gifts to your mom I'm fine I'll try I went down to Mama mom can we talk you're always rough and tough on me why it was then that she
said something that I will never forget son your grandma was always rough and tough on me because she wanted me to grow up strong humble and successful and I want that for you I care for you and I'm doing my best to be a good mom listening and understanding help me discover the story behind mom's actions see Mama cared for me in the best ways that she knew how though her love was unconventional it was unconditional and I would have never discovered that had I kept labeling and avoiding her that night for the first time
Mama and I talked for hours and at the end of The Talk I gave her a hug and she gave me the warmest hug ever as for the words I love you it's still a work in progress when Dad saw us exchanging the two gifts listening and understanding he joined in the hug as well my friends the two gifts United us since are you labeling and avoiding someone in your life they may not be someone rough and tough like my mama they could be anyone in your home work community my fellow storytellers behind everyone's actions
there's a story so let's make this world a better place by giving more of our listening and our understanding because as Dad said these are the two gifts that unite us come to share [Applause]
