Mothers are the focus of many books today, from Danielle Crittenden’s What Our Mothers Didn’t Tell Us: Why Happiness Eludes The Modern Woman to Cokie Roberts’ We Are Our Mothers’ Daughters. I do not plan to write a book about my own mother, nor will I be able to be with her this Mother’s Day. But I want to pay tribute to her because think tanks are not alone in promoting individual initiative, personal responsibility, and opportunity. Mothers do the same.

My mother is the greatest mentor I have ever known. All my life, she has encouraged me to be responsible and take advantage of the opportunities that came my way. For this advice, I shall be forever grateful.

Born into a happy and privileged family, my mother had all that she desired and more. After graduating from a private school, she wanted to become a nurse. However, her parents decided that her role was to lunch, shop, play bridge, and become a wife and mother, but not to pursue a career outside of the home. She followed her parents’ advice, as did many women at the time. However, she soon learned that there are no guarantees in life, and that sometimes life takes an unexpected turn for the worse.

When I was still very young, my mother found herself alone with a daughter to raise and no career to pursue. From that time, she stressed the importance of having a career to fall back on. Those words have stayed with me ever since.

Life was difficult for my mother but, fortunately, her brother was very successful and his family made us part of theirs. As a result, I enjoyed a wonderful family life and upbringing, with many opportunities.

While my mother did not have specific job skills or a career, she had been introduced to conservative politics at a young age by her father, a party fundraiser. My mother worked on many campaigns to supplement my father’s small pension. When I look back, I realize how much she sacrificed for me.

I would come home and say, "I found the perfect dress and it only costs this much." I would promise that if I got that dress, I would not need another for years. Of course, the requests were numerous. Invariably, my mother somehow managed to buy my dream dress while going without herself. She sacrificed for me, but she was also a great motivator.

If I said, "I can’t do that," she would respond, "there is no such thing as the word can’t" and encourage me to "go and do it." When the offer came for me to head the Pacific Research Institute, we were living near each other in Vancouver and visiting daily. Yet it was she who said, "What a great opportunity – go for it," even if it meant letting her only child depart for another country.

We still talk every day, and my mother remains a source of wisdom and encouragement. So to all the mothers around the world who have raised their own children to the best of their ability, and particularly to my own, I say "Happy Mother’s Day."

— Sally C. Pipes