The support of my mother has made such a difference in my life

“The support of my mother has made such a difference in my life, sacrificing everything to make sure that we went to school, did our homework, got an education. That was one person supporting me, and it takes more than one person in our community to help raise our children.” Thus spoke Adam Goodes, the proud Aboriginal Australian, a champion both on the field of sport and in the arena of social justice. His words are not only a tribute to one woman, but a timeless hymn to the power of sacrifice, education, and community. Beneath the simplicity of his statement lies a profound truth: that every life of greatness is born not of solitude, but of the unseen love and labor of others — first the mother, and then the many.

Goodes’ quote begins with the image of a mother’s sacrifice, that sacred and universal act that has shaped the destiny of every generation since time began. His mother, like so many before her, gave everything — comfort, rest, and her own ambitions — to ensure her children could rise through education. Her hands may have been weary, her means limited, but her will was vast. Through her endurance, she taught her son that love is not merely spoken, but proven through effort. In her devotion, we see the ancient truth that the mother is the first teacher of humanity — she builds not monuments of stone, but foundations of character. Goodes honors her as the origin of his strength, the root from which his own courage and compassion grew.

Yet his words do not end in personal gratitude. They widen, as a river widens toward the sea, into a greater wisdom: that while one mother’s love may begin the journey, it takes an entire community to continue it. “It takes more than one person,” he says — a recognition that the upbringing of a child is not the task of a single soul, but the shared labor of a society that remembers its moral duty. Teachers, elders, neighbors, coaches, friends — all play their part in shaping the mind and spirit of the young. For in every generation, the strength of a people is measured not by what they give to the powerful, but by how they nurture their children.

This idea is as old as civilization itself. The African proverb says, “It takes a village to raise a child.” And so it has always been: in the ancient tribes, in the small towns, in the great cities — wherever humanity gathered, the care of the young was shared among all. In the Indigenous cultures of Australia, to which Goodes belongs, this wisdom was deeply woven into the fabric of life. Children were raised not by parents alone, but by the whole kinship network, with elders teaching tradition, uncles and aunts guiding skills, and the community protecting the young as its collective treasure. Goodes’ words echo this ancient heritage — a reminder that the strength of the future depends upon the unity of the present.

History, too, bears witness to the power of such support. Consider Nelson Mandela, who often spoke of his mother and the village that raised him. Though he grew up in poverty, the care of his community planted within him the seeds of resilience and justice. Every teacher who encouraged him, every elder who told him the stories of his people, shaped the leader he became. And when he later guided his nation toward freedom, he did so with the same principle that Goodes now speaks of — that no child rises alone, and that every act of compassion contributes to the liberation of all.

The deeper meaning of Goodes’ words is not merely gratitude, but a call to responsibility. He asks us to remember that the success of one child is the duty of all. If a mother struggles alone, her strength may waver; but if the community stands beside her, her children will soar. This is why education is not only a personal pursuit but a social covenant. It demands teachers who care beyond the classroom, leaders who invest in the young, and neighbors who look upon every child as their own. When a society forgets this, it weakens its own heart. But when it remembers — when it surrounds every child with love, guidance, and opportunity — it becomes immortal through its descendants.

So, my children, let this teaching be engraved upon your spirit: honor the sacrifices that raised you, and become part of the circle that raises others. Support the mothers who labor unseen. Mentor the young who walk uncertain paths. Give time, wisdom, and kindness where they are needed most. For in doing so, you become not only a helper, but a builder of worlds.

As Adam Goodes reminds us, one mother’s love can light a fire — but it is the warmth of the community that keeps it burning. And when all hearts unite in that sacred work — to nurture, to teach, to uplift — then humanity itself is reborn, generation after generation, in the bright and enduring flame of education, sacrifice, and love.