Donna Ball

All my life, I thought I was this independent woman. I was on all the right committees, made speeches for all the right causes, traveled all over the world. I had my little part-time job, I made all my own decisions, but . . . there was always someone there to fall back on when things went bad. Funny, how after so many years of marriage you don__ think about how much you depend on the other person until . . . well, until they__e gone. And then of course there__ just the whole system in the city. Your doctor, your pharmacist, your plumber, your vet . . . there__ always someone there. You never have to find out . . . how much you can__ do.

Half the time your kids end up hating you for at least 5 of their teenage years[.] And don't ever expect anything so mundane as a thank you

Motherhood is a choice you make everyday, to put someone else's happiness and well-being ahead of your own, to teach the hard lessons, to do the right thing even when you're not sure what the right thing is...and to forgive yourself, over and over again, for doing everything wrong.

You__e not born with a walk like that. You have to earn it.