Longhorn in Paradise

You know how sometimes you hear a story or something happens to you or someone else and you say "that was scripted for Hollywood" or, even better, "Hollywood couldn't have scripted it any better"? Well, I have a story for you that just might trigger that emotion...

In the fall of 1945, just two months after the unconditional surrender of Japan which signaled the end of World War II, a little girl was born in southern Michigan. The youngest by far of three daughters, this young girl, whose father died when she was only 9, grew up in a world of tight budgets and imaginary friends.

Fast forward a couple of years and this young girl has turned into a rather intelligent young woman. And also a pregnant young woman. "With child" at the age of 19, her plans for college are suddenly put on hold...

On to 1973 and our young protagonist, now 27, is a single mom with three children ages 8, 6 and 1. Living in "government subsidized housing" as she would call it (fancy word for the ghetto) in Michigan, collecting welfare and going to school to finally get her degree, relying on the kindness of strangers to watch her youngest child as she could not afford daycare or a babysitter.

Now, let's travel to 1978. The kids are now 13, 11 and 6. Our young mother is 33 and has finished her undergrad degree. She is re-married and working as a union-busting manager at the largest corporation on the planet. Standing up to the catcalls and brutish behavior on the car manufacturer's plant floor showing the toughness that she had gained over a life of hard knocks. Moving up in the world and gaining confidence every step of the way.

Now, October 26, 2006, 61 years to the day after this young girl came into the world, let's go ahead and add a J.D. after her name as she attended law school in her 40s while working full-time and passed the bar on her first attempt. Her children are all grown and very successful. Her oldest is also a Bar certified attorney. Her middle child is about to go to Iraq to defend our country and her youngest is a ne'er do well blog author, but he has a wonderful family and doggone it, people like him.

Yes my loving fans, I am speaking of my mother. The most amazing person I have ever known. To summarize, in the past 30 odd years, she has gone from an unemployed, degree-less, single mother of 3 living in the ghettos of Michigan to having titles such as Executive VP of Human Resources, with an undergrad degree and a J.D. No longer living in "government subsidized housing", she has a beautiful home in Austin, TX with expansive views of Lake Travis. Through it all, one thing has remained amazingly constant...she is passionate, caring and loving. She loves her children with all her heart and that, honestly, is all that matters to me.

Happy Birthday Mama! Now get your butt out to LA and watch my kids!!

Much love to mi madre! jak