My mother was 29 when I was born. I was 29 when she died.

I have found this fact ironic comparing what her life was like at 29 vs. mine at 29. She had a new “happy accident” baby and three pre-teens. I was a newlywed with a new job in a new city. I faced life ahead without my parents (Dad had died three years earlier), completely untethered from that parental safety net, because afterall, no one loves you – warts and all – like your Mom.

But when I arose out of my fog, I realized the gift of incredible, loving, caring mother/mentor friends in my life. Women, including my three sisters, who give me the gifts of laughter and fun, good recipes, Kleenex, hugs, encouragement to find my voice, examples of how to be a good mother, a reliable professional, host, involved citizen and volunteer.

I believe the Universe would have brought these incredible women into my life even had my mother stayed in it, and while I miss my mom more than words can say – especially on Mother’s Day – I do appreciate the gift of my mother/mentor friends.

So Leslie, Tracy, Melissa, Carol, Ann, Kris, Beth, Pam, Susan, Mary, Cathy, Frances, Nancy, Mari and Jacque – Happy Mother’s Day and thank you.

Last night my sons and I slept in refrigerator boxes at an event to empathize with the homeless. To be honest, I initiated my participation in support of my children. I really did not relish the idea of spending the night on the hard, Spring ground in a box. Now we could take into our boxes pillows, blankets, anything to make our stay more comfortable, so I lined mine with a couple of blankets and hunkered down in a “mummy” sleeping bag rated for something under zero degrees, and grabbed two pillows off my bed. Even before the official midnight “lights out,” my pre-teen son told me he was ready for bed. He was tired from the week, and the way he hovered around me told me he had some trepidation about crawling into his box alone – even with my box right beside his. He felt too old to have me snug in with him in his box, so he toughed it out with me nearby. As I lay there in my box my mind went quickly to the homeless REALLY out there sleeping in the elements that night, but particularly to the mothers who have so little resources to harness to protect and provide for their children who are weary from hard living and who are afraid to fall asleep out of reach each night.

Today on the radio I heard a commercial about taking in foster kids and giving them more stability. The factor of these kids becoming homeless one day was something like one in four. I don’t have much knowledge of other facts and figures, but I do think this all starts with awareness, recognizing that homelessness comes in all shapes and sizes and it is borne from all sorts of reasons/situations.

I am grateful for the embrace of the box last night – for the lack of sleep and the opportunity to grow.

We are the world.

Many moons ago I produced a video for a client that needed to be uploaded to something “new” called YouTube. I had no idea how to do that, so a friend opened the account for me with this password!  I think it’s fun and funny and I’m usin’ it!