As I sit here, reflecting upon another year passing (and with that, another B'Day) I realize that my life has been a culmination of perseverance, compassion and compromise.  

It was certainly no easy street growing up in a single parent household with a disabled mother with Multiple Sclerosis and two children on welfare.  As we watched our mother physically deteriorate before our eyes, we knew life was not going to be easy for us.  While there were constant reminders and ridicule of being poor, there were also great lessons of strength, hope and character.

Oddly enough, my brother and I chose similar career paths in sales and self-employment.  I suppose we learned some very basic entrepreneurial survival skills at a young age, which proved to serve us well as adults.  The path we chose was neither Easy Street or Main Street, but rather the School of Hard Knocks.  We learned how to work hard, give 110%, and never ever give up. 

I'm so grateful for the lessons of hope and determination that I learned as a child, which were so beautifully modeled for me by my Mother.  She taught us to stay focused on the goal when the storms of life toss you every which way.  And, no matter what life throws at you (i.e. death, disease, divorce, debt, or disillusionment), a little smile and a positive outlook can change any circumstance.  

To our Mother who passed away 15 years ago, our lives are forever changed because of you!  Thanks for always smiling, never giving up, and most of all, for making us feel like we were the best thing that ever happened to you!