I hosted my Mom and some other family members at my house today. To say our relationship has been complex would be an understatement of the decades of chipped teeth, paper cuts, and outright tectonic shifts she’s caused in my life through her former dogmatic beliefs.

But life is strange and without prediction, and we wound up back in connection. I do not regret the quiet portions of communication with her… while I am also glad I could gather family together today to celebrate our parallel relationships as moms.

My nightmare was always about becoming who she was when she was raising us. Now I can finally hold that candle of hope and understanding for her imperfect path, while whispering dreams for own relationship with my daughters being fully restored in the not so distant future.