My family and I just finished an incredible long weekend, one that was both fun and productive. So as this new week (essentially) begins today, I thought I’d so something a little different today.
You see, today is my Mom’s birthday.
She’s been a big supporter of me and my work, and I wrote a dedication to her in my book. So I’m going to publish that dedication today. That way even if you don’t have a copy of The Front Nine1 you can all read what I wrote about her…and why the book is dedicated to her.
Happy birthday, Mom. You’re the best.
Patricia hasn’t had a rough life. She’s had a good life, full of the ups and downs many of us face ourselves. But she’s also had a lot of unexpected “restarts” over her life.
Sure, many have had those as well – I know of several people who have – but it’s how she has faced those restarts that has helped her shape and craft her life in a way hat works for her that is admirable. Perhaps not rare, but definitely admirable.
Married for 27 years, she decided to make a change and move on. All she’d known for those 27 years was marriage and life with two boys, but it was time for a restart. So she did just that. This was the least of her unexpected restarts, because it was something that had been in the back of her mind for some time…but she hadn’t “hit the ball” despite planning the approach for a while.
Some time later, she met a man whose did want to share the rest of her life with. This wasn’t unusual; others before and after her have felt the same way and acted upon it. But it was definitely unexpected, and it definitely was a restart. She moved with her new husband to a part of the country she lived in where she was going to be further away from her family (including her two boys, now also on their own) than ever before. Yet she did it because this was a time in her life where she could make progress towards her goal of living a life for her – and her new husband as well.
Then…another unexpected restart happened.
After far too short a time together, her husband suddenly passed away. It was unexpected – especially considering the circumstances – and suddenly she was in a very unfamiliar place. This time something (in this case, someone) was taken from her that forced a restart. After catching her breath, she did what she had to do and restarted again. She moved back to be closer to most of her family (except for her oldest son, who was living on the west coast) and began shaping her newly-rebooted life once again.
All of these restarts have led to a life rich with experience. Some great, some not so much. She has faced her numerous restarts with tenacity and as much grace as humanly possible. She’s not perfect, but that’s okay. None of us are. But she’s faced adversity and seen many things through – not all mentioned here (because this book is about you and not about her). And I’m proud of her for all of that and so much more.
While this book may not be for Patricia, it is dedicated to her.
I love you, Mom. Thanks for everything, especially instilling in me the ability to handle my own restarts.
1 If you don’t have a copy yet, You can pick up a copy of The Front Nine in print here or the e-book version here.
