thanks, Mama

Over the last two weeks, I have seen three documentaries.

After attending my great-niece's birthday party, I went to Tim Burton's latest movie, "Big Eyes". The film followed the life of Margaret Keane, the woman who painted the sad waifs with the enormous eyes in the 1950's and 1960's. She had to struggle to regain ownership of her works, after her husband, a genius at commercialization, usurped her identity and her career. At the end of the movie, I thought my life owed her kudos for helping to pave the way for modern women's rights.

Then, last week, I finally was able to watch "The Imitation Game" with the bfe. Joan Clarke was a brilliant mathematician and puzzle solver of the 1940's and was part of the team that conquered the Enigma Machine. I thought my life owed her kudos for changing the way intelligent men regarded intelligent women.

Tonight, "Mission Blue" was the featured film at the first day of the Grays Reef Ocean Film Festival this year. The work of marine botanist Sylvia Earle, from the 1950's to today, was explored. By the end of the film, I thought my life owed her kudos for encouraging the inclusion of girls and women in scientific studies in the 1970's, when I was in high school.

Then I realized the truth.
I was not familiar with any of these women.
Not even the marine scientist.
But I'm sure my mother was quite familiar with two of them, Keane and Earle. In 1970, both women were in the headlines and all over newscasts. Keane successfully sued her ex-husband to regain title to her paintings. Earle successfully joined an underwater living experiment, not only as the first female, but also as the head aquanaut of a later five-female group.
Both women were close to my mother in age.
I was not familiar with them, but she was.
Perhaps they influenced her decision to grant me wings, as well as roots.
Mama is the one who deserves kudos for not only giving me life, but for helping me to have a life.
Thanks, Mama.