To all the many women I know, from extended family members to friends, colleagues, sisters-in-law, nieces, to my own sisters, my partner, and to my own dearly departed mother, I say thank you. I celebrate your loving care in this world; a world that so sorely needs just that.

Last night I attended a Joy of Life concert with Daniel Lapp and his many musical friends. I was sitting up in the balcony and happened to be behind a family of three young boys, their parents, and what looked to be their Grandad too. The youngest of the boys was right in front of me, snuggled in with his mother for much of the long festivities. He looked at his mother’s watch three or four times towards the end, but I neither heard nor saw any whining. The middle brother was cuddled up with Dad most of the concert. (I overheard that the middle boy’s birthday was the day before, and he hadn’t had much sleep the previous night. Anyway, I was very impressed with the affectionate and supportive way in which this family were with each other. And, I thought how lucky that little boy was to have a mother so completely devoted to her family – yet without appearing to give herself up to do so. And it reminded me of how supremely fortunate I was to have been raised by a mother just like that! Thank you Mom. Happy Mother’s Day to you!