For all those who are mothers around the world, and for all those blessed with mothers, I hope you all have a wonderful Mother's Day, whether you are in a country that celebrates it or not.
I've never personally been one of those people who put much stock in those "holidays" created by someone for honoring people on certain days. I believe that there are some people who should be honored for who they are on a daily basis, and for me, my mom would be at the top of the list.
She taught me to be strong, determined and to not be afraid to be who I was meant to be. She showed me through example what I could achieve if I strived for the most from myself, both intellectually and professionally.
She gave me my hunger and love for the written word. From her I learned that devouring books opened worlds and incited a bone-deep need to tell the stories locked within my mind. From her I learned the beauty of crafting worlds and the joy it would bring to simply let my fingers fly across the keyboard.
My mother taught me so many things while managing to somehow also keep me and my little brother in line. This was a monumental task for a woman who was single-handedly running the household.
I could sit here for hours and never come close to the end of the enormous list of things I learned from my mother. So perhaps the best I can do is what I do every day when I speak with her on the phone.
I love you.
