larger view

It's said that you can't really appreciate or understand your parents until you are a parent yourself.  I've been thinking about this a lot lately with all of my work on Raising Bakersfield and Mother's Day this weekend.  I am not a parent yet, so I wonder what kind of new perspective I will have on my childhood and my parents when I do become one.

 I had a wonderful childhood and was rather spoiled- but in all of the good ways! I have always been very close to my mom (if you don't include the very few spats we had when I was a teenager). The older I get, the more I can see her in me.

My mom is one of my dearest, closest friends, so I am feeling kind of sad that I won't be able to spend Mother's Day with her (or even my mother-in-law). My mom is in Florida now and my mother-in-law is in Switzerland. The best I can do in this situation is just send flowers-  but somehow just feels not good enough.

My Mom said to me this morning "oh Mother's Day is just a Hallmark holiday. For me, Mother's Day is Everyday." I can't tell if she is serious or if she is just saying it to make us both feel better.

I just wonder for all of you parents out there reading this, Is Mother's Day really meaningful to you- or just another day?

And how has your perspective of your mom changed since you became a parent?

{This Mother's Day, I will be with a group of swimmers from CSUB that have volunteered to help Raising Bakersfield celebrate our launch on Mother's Day. We will be taking pictures of local families celebrating Mother's Day at local restaurants. Maybe we will be surprising you! Don't worry, we won't get shots of people actually eating- more like keeping them entertained while they wait for a table. }