Susan Menig

When I think about the heroines in my life, there is only one who is perched not only atop the list, but who also occupies my mind on a daily basis, and fills my heart for life. The woman in question is Susan Lynne Menig, my mom. Like many sons, I think I struggle to ever fully articulate to her just what and how much she means to me. She nurtured me as an infant, taught me as a child, guided me as a teenager, encouraged me as a young adult, and has loved and inspired me every day and every minute of my life.

As I have gotten older, I have been blessed with the fortunate opportunity to see, know, understand, and appreciate the many facets of my mom. Her capacity to care for others even in the face of her own personal adversities has been nothing short of amazing to me. For my entire life, she has been quick to put others before herself; always making sure that others’ needs and desires are fulfilled. In this day and age of greed and self-centeredness, this is something that sets her apart from so many of the other people that I see in our world. There is no prejudice to her love and care for people, young and old, all creatures, big and small, everyone and everything receives the complete outpouring of compassion, love, and care from a woman whose heart knows no boundaries.

The dictionary defines “mother” as “a term of address for a female parent or a woman having or regarded as having the status, function, or authority of a female parent.” What this definition omits is everything that truly defines the majesty, beauty, and grace of the woman that I proudly call my mom. She is the center of our family, and a rock in my life. It’s a negative cliché to be called a mamma’s boy, but another thing entirely when I say that I am blessed, proud, and eternally grateful to be able to call myself my Mother’s Son. 

Written by Mark Menig, her son

I visited the Walk of the Heroines shortly after the ground-breaking ceremony to see the new site. As I gazed at piles of dirt and jack-hammered concrete, trying to picture them transformed into an inspirational oasis, a soccer ball flew over the fence from a nearby field. I winced to think that the location chosen to honor my mom would be forever bombarded by flying objects—but then I had to smile.

The ball came from a youth soccer league. And if there’s one thing that describes my mom, it’s that she welcomes having people cross the threshold into the sphere of her self-made community—particularly kids. If you ask my mom, good fences are just a reminder that it’s important to reach past your boundaries and cultivate good neighbors.

In fact, my mom has a rare gift for making people feel like they’re doing her a favor by giving her opportunities to lend a hand, offer support, and shower them with generosity. Whether it’s helping elementary school kids learn to read and then expanding the program to include being a Lunch Buddy, or giving personalized gifts to kids in the neighborhood for every holiday and birthday, she’s always looking for ways to make others feel cherished and valued.

That’s at the heart of what inspires me about my mom. She creates communities. She nurtures relationships and fosters a shared sense of meaning by practicing a heartfelt ethic of care. At the core of that mission is her unshakeable desire for every person—and especially every child—to feel connected and wanted.

It makes an incredible difference for a child to feel wanted growing up. My mom poured her time, energy, and skill into making sure my brother and I were deeply convinced throughout childhood that we were meant to be in the world. Now that we’re adults, she hasn’t let up in her steady campaign to convince us that we’re much cooler than we really are—through words of love, thoughtful gifts, and clear enjoyment of our company.

The campaign is a success. There are times when I don’t know my purpose in life, or whether life has a purpose. But I always know my life has a purpose to her. And the older I get, the more I realize how much that matters.

I grew up blessed with many privileges…but by far the biggest thing that has shaped my worldview has been the privilege of being loved. This knowledge that I am loved shapes everything I see. I feel like I’ve inherited my mother’s eyes for appreciating beauty, delighting in the world, and finding potential in people and circumstances.

…Which is why, as I stood gazing at the rubble that would one day become the Walk of the Heroines—surrounded by a library, a greenhouse, and a field that brings together students and community members, each a symbol of what my mom holds dear and works to uphold—and I watched a soccer ball land smack dab in the middle, I thought to myself, “Perfect.”

-Kim Menig, Susan Menig’s daughter