Why I'm An Activist - Mother's Day Edition

I'm not typically one for holidays or big displays of affection, but I do make exceptions when I think it matters and where I think it's deserved.  It's quite deserved in this instance.  You don't get to choose your parents, and I count myself lucky to have the mother I got.

I see far too many instances of mother's attempting to force decisions of varying kinds onto their children.  Gay kids disowned.  Atheist children of religious parents cut off from all contact.  And even less serious things like trying to coerce a child into a particular career path or guilting children into things.

My mother's never done those things.  She's always supported me in what I do, even when she's disagreed.  She still speaks up when she finds it necessary but has always gone out of her way to make sure my decisions are my own.  She's Christian and has never, in any way, attempted to proselytize to me or otherwise make me feel bad about being atheist.

I know far too many people who cannot say the same about their parents.  I cannot relate to the countless horror stories I read of abusive parents.  It is for this reason, that I'm an activist.  This world needs more people to grow up as fortunate as I did.