I certainly got off luckier than many in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. My power was out for four days, but I was able to grab my dog, hop in a cab and flee to my mom’s apartment in Brooklyn, where the electricity was just right, the TV was in the background, and the wifi was delicious. (Beastie Boys reference, sorry.) I was able to work the rest of the week from her apartment and stay up to date on news, particularly how badly Hurricane Sandy had hurt many others in the region. I feel very, very grateful. Especially because staying with my mom for those four days — during which she also worked from home — was actually a really nice experience. I’m nearly 33 and haven’t spent that much time with my mom, in a relatively confined space (her apartment is less than 500 square feet), since I was a teenager going on family vacations. In some ways, you would maybe think it would be a recipe for disaster, or at least some serious tension. Nope! In fact, I enjoyed hanging out with my mom so much that I kind of missed her last night when I was chilling back at my apartment.
Getting through Hurricane Sandy relatively unscathed, especially compared to so many others, made me appreciate how good I have it, but so did spending so much time with my mom. For a big portion of our lives, we see our parents as just that — our parents — instead of full-fledged human beings. As adults, I don’t think we — and I include myself in this — spend as much time as we should getting to know our parents and appreciating them as people. I got such a kick out of my mom this past week and learned a few random things about her that I might not have. Yes, this is a bit self-indulgent, but let it inspire you to get to know your parents a little bit better, even if it’s gathering silly little tidbits about them. Like these! Keep reading »
