Professor Scott T. Allison, teaches Psychology at the University of Richmond, VA. He has written extensively about heros and leaders and their effect on society. As he tells us in this interview, mothers are our #1 heroes,they're recognized more than say Ghandi or Martin Luther King. Listen as Professor Allison shares stories of his mother, Sara and the impact she had on his life.
Sara, Allison's mother, "was all about lightness, air, love, encouragement and positivity," says Allison. "She let me live my life. She never really went out of her way to advise me or critique my life, and I respect her for that." Allison continues by saying "my mother cultivated independence in her children and she encouraged us to always tell the truth."
"Honesty and integrity" were essential characteristics for her and her family. As Allison says "she walked the walk." However, as optimistic and lighthearted as she was, she was struggling with an unhappy and difficult husband who was an alcoholic. And as one can expect, the dad's drinking had an effect on the whole family, especially the kids.
It wasn't until Allison's mother found Al Anon, the support organization for anyone who's concerned about someone with a drinking problem, that she found her new sense of self esteem. "My mom started standing up to my dad because of all that Al Anon taught her. Eventually, my day had to change. he had to adapt to her self confidence." Sara was a proud member of Al Anon for 35 years.
I thoroughly enjoyed my conversation with Professor Allison and I look forward to continuing our conversation in the near future.
Professor Scott Allison has authored numerous books, including Heroes and Heroic Leadership. His other books include Reel Heroes, Conceptions of Leadership, Frontiers in Spiritual Leadership, and the Handbook of Heroism. His work has appeared in USA Today, National Public Radio, the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, Slate Magazine, MSNBC, CBS, Psychology Today, and the Christian Science Monitor. He has received Richmond's Distinguished Educator Award and the Virginia Council of Higher Education's Outstanding Faculty Award.
Here's Professor Scott T. Allison's Link to the University of Richmond, VA
https://psychology.richmond.edu/faculty/sallison/#:~:text=Scott%20Allison%20has%20authored%20numerous,extensively%20on%20heroism%20and%20leadership.