Mother

Yesterday I was enjoying my day hanging out in the Ace Hotel pool in Palm Springs with great friends, so I wasn't able to do a Mother's Day post until now.
My Mom is one of the most incredible women I know.  Both of her parents were Holocaust survivors, and she was born in a displacement camp in Germany after the war was over.  When she was 3, her family immigrated to the United States, and settled into the Bronx (onto a very dangerous street, no less).  Her parents had no money and were still dealing with the trauma of living in Concentration Camps.  My Mom needed an escape, and so her survival instincts forced her to excel in school and she eventually got accepted with a full scholarship to UCLA medical school in the late 60's and got her degree in Medicine.  She has been practicing Medicine for over 35 years (and has been very successful at it), and has now forayed into Eastern Medicine including Acupuncture, Chinese Herbs & Ayurvedic Therapy.  She is also an amazing metal sculptor, painter, gardener, macrobiotic cook, life-advice giver, and is such a great support system for my brother and I.  She is an incredibly strong Woman, while being peaceful and mellow at the same time.  I feel like a stronger, more self-aware person because she is my Mom.
She doesn't usually like gifts that aren't hand-made by my brother or myself, so this year for Mother's Day, I made a donation in her name to the Edna Adan Hospital in Somaliland, East Africa.  The health in Somaliland, which has pretty much been left in total destruction after the Civil War, is amongst the worst in the world.  Most Women in Somaliland will either be victims of Female Genital Mutilation, or will die during childbirth because of the extremely poor healthcare.  The Infant mortality rate is even higher.  Edna Adan Hospital was started to support these Women and to provide them with the healthcare that they deserve as human beings.  The Hospital is non-profit and is held-together by the support of different organizations and donors.
Spending money on flowers or chocolates is nice, but donating that money to a good cause is even better.  If you cut back on a few drinks at a bar, or a few nights of eating out for dinner, you can spend that money on seriously helping people in need.  It is a gift that truly keeps on giving, and I think it's really important to lend yourself where you can in life.
My Mom loved the gift, and is even thinking about traveling to Somaliland to volunteer and lend her Medical training to helping these Women in need.
I hope to travel with her, and I truly hope that more places like the Edna Adan Hospital find the funds to succeed in helping people live long, healthy, and fruitful lives.

P.S. Isn't my mom gorgeous?