Greater problems

Do not worry about your difficulties in Mathematics. I can assure you mine are still greater.
Albert Einstein

Kiki's blog has a great poster
http://kikimatters.blogspot.com/2011/05/decision-to-be-strong.html

 Survived another Mother's Day.  My own kids are awesome.  Their sweet messages were awesome.  I love that part.  I stayed up all night the night before as I had my own little pity party that I can never have a relationship with my mother.  She lives not far away yet we may as well be on different planets.  Then I read other people's struggles with their mothers, you know, I read about plenty that have greater problems than mine.  Old Al had it right.  No matter how crummy things are eventually you will encounter someone with worse problems.  I read back over emails from last Mother's Day and the year before.  Same problem year after year.  I am mourning the fact that my mother chose to live in a fantasy world of lies rather than face the challenges of really living and connecting with her family.  Sadness I feel acts like a dark shadow that at mother's day brews like a threatening storm.  Then I remind myself, I am a mother and grandmother.  The relationships I have with my children are the ones that count.  I appreciate each one and I'm so happy as each form their own families.  I watch their love for each other and my heart swells.  One of my daughters mentioned the fringe benefits of grandkids.  I smile just thinking about these charming little people that joined our family.  I enjoy watching their parents struggle and worry about some of the same things I did.  I feel so blessed.  Maybe one night a year feeling sad is OK.  The rest of the year I will rejoice.