On this Mother’s Day I find myself reflecting on the impact my mom had on my life. She’s been gone for eight years, and there are relatively long periods of time when I am not actively, consciously thinking about her. But I know she’s still there, and the ripples of her legacy are still spreading out across the pond of my life in so many ways, both recognized and unrecognized. She was human, which among other thing meant that she did not always do the whole “being a mother” thing perfectly. Emotional modeling, for example, was somewhat lacking as I was growing up. But at the core of everything I always knew that she loved me unconditionally, she believed in me, and she trusted me. And that’s a lot! I am grateful for the gifts she bestowed on me, including the ones I have yet to discover. She planted the seeds and laid the groundwork (to mix a couple of metaphors) which contributed in no small part to me being the person I am. And which will continue to contribute to me becoming the person I am still growing into. Happy Mother’s Day, Mom! And thanks!