Mother's Day (and an update)

Today is Mother's Day.

I had a deeply complicated relationship with my mother. One that was not healthy for most of my life. My mom is the source of much that I love about myself, and the source of most of my struggles and challenges. By the time she passed in September of 2018, we hadn't really talked for quite some time.

While my relationship with my mom was frustrating and difficult, I have been blessed to have lots of amazing women in my life. Some are moms, some aren't. Some are raising their kids. Some are raising grandkids and foster kids and neighborhood kids. Some are caregivers, some teachers. Some are doctors or nurses or therapists. Some are advocates and leaders and policy experts. They serve on boards and run for office. They stand at the front lines of protest and never back down.

And all of them - ALL of them - have been brilliant and strong and fierce in their own way. All get up every day to make the world better for the people around them. For me.

Thank you all. For getting up every day and doing what you do. Today and every day.

There was a lot I never learned from my mom. And there's a few things I did. I learned how to see when people - especially women - really care, and the power of that caring to change the world.

And I get to see it every day.

Happy Mother's Day, y'all.

P.S. After taking a couple of months to regroup and re-center, I am pleased to announce the “return” of Combat Snuggles. I put return in quotation marks because I never really went anywhere, but I am returning to a more predictable posting schedule.

Starting next Tuesday (May 11) I will be posting once a week. Some of the posts will be 5 Things. Some will be reviews of interesting books, movies, or articles I have read. Some will be some other kinds of personal essays that I have been working on. I hope you will find them all interesting and challenging. I am looking forward to getting back to writing this newsletter more regularly. Plus, now you have something to look forward to on Tuesday. And everyone needs something to look forward to on Tuesday.

The posts will be public and available to anyone who signs up. However, I would ask that you kindly consider signing up as a subscriber to support this work. It is a labor of love, but it is still labor. So if you aren’t already a subscriber, please consider becoming one.

And let’s see where this goes. As always, you can find me on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (username is CombatSnuggles on all). Otherwise, see you next Tuesday.

Be well y’all. And keep pounding the rock.