My mom was 21 years old when she had me, her oldest. In many ways, I look back on my childhood and think I had a pretty regular, middle class upbringing. Sure, we were a family with a religion outside the mainstream and we moved around quite a bit when I was young, but nothing else set us apart from the other families on the block.

The more I reflect, though, the more I become aware of how individually unique my parents were and are. They are each special people in their own right, something I've only been able to see as an adult. Since it's Mother's Day, the time is right to share a small antidote about Mom.

I use to think back to childhood with the impression that Dad was the one into sports and Mom was not that active or competitive. A couple years ago, something happened to make me re-evaluate that childhood impression and examine my memories from a different perspective.

My parents are divorced from one another and both remarried. My mom, her husband, and his son and daughter-in-law were vacationing for a week at their cabin in the Cascade Mts. in Idaho. The cabin is a great getaway from hectic city life. (From my perspective, anywhere in Idaho is a getaway from city life.) The area where their cabin is can be particularly isolated during the week. Most of the cabin owners are only there during the weekend.

It's near a large body of water and the happy vacationers were out waterskiing mid-week when the boat dies. They are in the middle of the lake, completely dead in the water. My step father spent years as a mechanic and ultimately headed up the automotive program at one of the local vocational schools before he retired and believe me, if he can't fix an engine, it's not fixable. So engine is dead, there are no other boats in the area given that it's mid-week, and they have no paddles or flares. The radio is out of range of anyone listening.

After much discussion, my mom proposes she and her daughter-in-law, being the strongest swimmers, tow the boat back to shore. The men were all "There is no way the two of you can tow this boat in." My mom, pragmatic as always, informed them they had nothing to lose by trying. My stepfather had major heart surgery a couple years previous and still has some problems, and his son doesn't swim which meant it was left to the ladies to get them all home.

Mom and the other woman hop into the water with leads attached to themselves and the boat and start to swim. They did it! They tugged the speedboat 2 MILES to shore. I am totally impressed with my mother (she turned 62 that summer). She's always been athletic and a strong swimmer, but still, that is a really amazing accomplishment. High Five Mom!

I was amazed by this story when I heard it but I shouldn't have been. Mom has always been a strong swimmer as are my brothers and me. She grew up on the lakes of Wisconsin. I remember a closet in my grandfather's house filled with ribbons and trophies won by her and my uncle for swimming, sailing and waterskiing. Mom took up hiking with my brothers and I when we moved to Colorado, summiting on a fair number of fourteeners. She continues to be active with walking, snowshoeing and snowmobiling.

I guess because her activity wasn't a team sport, it didn't make as much impression on me as a kid. Dad was the one teaching us to throw and catch and how to read an offensive line. But Dad's participation in sports grew more sedentary. He cheered his teams on from the couch on Sundays. Mom has consistently encouraged us to find our way outdoors, to enjoy the time outside actively.

It's Mother's Day and I have lots to thank her for, not the least of which is instilling a love of exercise and the outdoors. I am at an age where my friends' parents are starting to pass on or require long term care. I know I will face that with my parents one day as well. But, here's hoping the activity keeps us all healthy and active for many more years.