It’s not like the only time I think of my mom is on Mother’s Day. I’m lucky, I think, because we talk at least every other day on the telephone. I hope you have a great relationship with your mom. It’s a blessing, I know, because I also know so many people who don’t, or can’t. If you want to know more about my mom, here’s how I would describe her: 
My mom has a smile that lights up a room. She is able, with a single grin, to make babies stop crying (it’s true), disarm a grumpy teenager, comfort a friend who is feeling down and – this isn’t proven – but I think her smile is what fuels her green thumb. You should see her garden. Growing up, I watched her smile in action and reflected in its comfort and glow. Today, because of my mom, I know a smile confuses an approaching frown and that giving the gift of a smile is a simple, but powerful way to make someone else’s day. My mom, and her smile, are a powerful loving reminder of all that’s good and happy.
My mom and I have had different life paths, of course. She was thrilled to stay at home and raise her three kids, garden and play tennis, volunteer and nurture us until a heartwrenching divorce after 20 plus years of marriage left her shaken to the core. She started over in her forties, and she has not just survived, she has thrived.
The older I get, the more I realize she instilled the creative spark in me, the one that has led me now to pursue my dream of writing novels. Oh, and she also gave me her smile.
Thanks mom. I love you!