Moms Show Us the Way

Long before Waze, Google Maps, or even Mapquest—there was the Thomas Guide. You're welcome for that heart-warming bit of nostalgia for those who know what I'm referring to. For those unaware, the Thomas Guide was a series of spiral-bound atlases that were essential to negotiate the 469 square miles of Los Angeles before handheld supercomputers called smartphones.

My mother was a real estate appraiser, so I sat in the passenger seat and served as her turn-by-turn directions throughout the day. Fast forward to the present: I'm a little too proud of my sense of direction—drop me anywhere in the valley or the LA basin, and I'll take you wherever you want to go.

My mom taught me how to be a navigator—how to find my way. And that confidence meant I flew the coop earlier than she expected. I only realize now, as a parent myself, what that must have felt like.

At St. Monica—we celebrate all those brave women who showed us how to skipper our own ship: aunts, grandmothers, birthmothers, and all those mentors and mother figures whose combination of unconditional love and presence formed our lives. Take a moment, say 'thanks," and let them know you couldn't have done it without them. Include their names in our Mother's Day Novena and support this year's Mother's Day intention for Good Shepherd Shelter right here in Los Angeles (pg 592, E3).

Happy Mother's Day to you—whether by title, action, or the way you love others. Thank you for following the example of our Holy Mother Mary and simply saying, 'yes.'