She needs time, like we all do. Time to be ok with being ok. Because sometimes feeling right, after feeling so wrong for so long, is the hardest thing to get used to. —JmStorm

In addition to commemorating and remembering those who have served our country, Memorial Day is the official opening day of summer. As much as I love summer and all the outdoor fun that comes with it, here I sit six days before Memorial Day lamenting about…(I’m going to whisper this because I don’t really want to admit it out loud)…bathing suit season.

My mom, Mary Lou Bouknight Skenes, is 88. I guess it’s time to admit to her that mother’s really do know best. Perhaps I’ve waited longer than most to release my childhood tenacity and rebellion to say, “Mom, you were right!.” However, better late than never.

My mother seems to be magic at times. This magic has lasted my entire life. It wasn’t a figment of my childhood adoration; her magic is always present. If anything, my adoration for my mother is stronger now than when I was a youth because I know what she’s been through. I now understand where she came from and some of the obstacles she has hurdled and defeated. I have had the great pleasure of having deep meaningful talks with my mom, and she’s told me some deep, dark secrets. My childhood adoration of her has rooted in profound respect. If anything, her magic is at an all time high.

From the time we are born to around age 12 our No. 1 job is to play. How many times did my mother tell me to go outside and play? “In or out, Elizabeth. If you come in again, I’m going to make you stay in!” The neighborhood kids all gathered daily to ride bikes, skateboard, play house or school, tag, Follow the Leader, Red Rover (my favorite) or play on the swing set. We put on shows, danced, sung, pretended to be movie stars, especially Cher. We put towels on our heads and flipped them back and forth like we had Cher hair and sung into our hairbrushes.

My mother and I (she’s 88),
were talking on the telephone the other day.
It wasn’t 4-and-a-half minutes until we got each other all riled up.
She was talking about the ways of the world and what a mess we’re all in.
She watches daytime TV, therefore, she knows.
We started talking, and somehow, we managed to take down
politicians, greedy people, “The Bachelor” and Kanye West.
To say the least, as soon as I hung up, I was ready to write this column.

Nothing good ever comes easy. That is the case with this magazine. It is not only a labor of love, it is also a labor of passion, work ethic, determination, excellence, desire, patience, humor and pure heart. Not just mine, but also my family’s and staff’s. The publishing industry is hard and not for the faint of heart. People either love it or hate it. It’s like the speeding bus Sandra Bullock has to drive in the 1994 movie Speed. Basically, Bullock has to keep the bus moving at a minimum speed of 60 mph, or it will blow up and everyone will die. Welcome to the world of publishing.