My mom has a remarkable ability to feel the joy of others. When you open up your arms to those you love and let their joys become your joys, your life is that much richer. If something great happens to someone my mom loves, it is as though it happened to her. I am fortunate to feel the same way because of her wonderful example.

Her other greatest gift is her optimistic outlook. This quote from Albert Einstein reminds me of my mom:

“There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as if everything is.“

I am fortunate to have a mother who sees the magic in life. She is moved by a sunset, a beautiful song, a poem, and she has passed that joie de vivre down to her children.

We learn to love the way we were loved by our parents. And if we are lucky, that love was safe, predictable and unconditional. Initially, our parents’ beliefs become our beliefs - their worldview becomes our lens on the world. I am blessed to have a mother with a positive lens. She is Winnie the Pooh, not Eeyore. In my mom’s eyes, everything is possible. No dream is too big, no idea unreachable. She has always been full of enthusiasm and still is. Growing up believing that the world is full of wonders and has endless possibilities makes you dream big. What a gift that is to a child. Thanks mom!