Mother's Day has always been a special holiday for me. As a young boy, I would spend hours making a special "treasure" for my mom. No matter how simple the gift, she would "ooh" and "ah" with delight and then give it a place of honor in the house. As I grew older, the only thing that changed was I could afford more lavish gifts.

This year, however, I found myself dreading Mother's Day. I would even change the channel whenever commercials for Mother's Day gifts came on TV. It was the first Mother's Day since my mom lost her courageous battle with cancer this past February. How could I survive the day reminding me of the void that her death had left in me? Then the answer came to me and I spent the day remembering-and celebrating-the many ways that my mom shaped the person that I am today.

My mom's father was a German railroad engineer. Her mom's family had emigrated from England. (As they say, only in America). The two cultures were blended equally into my mother's personality, a woman of both stubborn practicality and tender compassion for all life forms, including some of my friends who barely qualified.

My childhood was filled with a menagerie of outcast creatures that my softhearted mother had "adopted". From this domestic zoo, I learned about the miracle of life watching puppies being born. And I experienced the helpless anguish of loss by having my pet squirrel die, cupped in my hands. The result was a biology-majoring, jungle trekking, bird watching, scuba diving, nature lover.

Another gift instilled in me by my mom was tenacity, tempered with optimism. I was convinced that I could do anything that I set out to do, and I wouldn't stop until it was done. Eventually, however, I learned that some elements are outside our ability to predict or control. In 1985, I went from owning a large home on a golf course to renting a cheap, one-room efficiency apartment. I call the mid-eighties my "lost and found" era. I lost everything I owned and found out who my true friends were. Fortunately, I had learned the pathway back to success from my tenacious mom, who worked two jobs while raising four children after my dad's business failed. She was determined that it was only a temporary setback. Three years later, we were back in the same old neighborhood-family and pride intact.

I am grateful to my mom for these and all the other gifts that she has given me.

Each one is a legacy that I hope to pass along to her grandsons.

With warm thoughts and well-wishes,

Joe Brown