An Extraordinary Woman of My Long Acquaintance

Today marks the anniversary of the birth of a really extraordinary woman who I've known for close to thirty years.  Since it's her birthday (although I know, I will of course not say precisely which birthday), and I have a little time, I thought I'd say a few words about her for the benefit of those unlucky enough to not know her personally.  Those who do know her, of course, will see that my words are woefully inadequate. I'm sorry about that, but I'm doing the best I can here; I am a scientist, after all, and not a poet.

I'll spare you the biographical details, because they're not really that important.  In fact people like her fascinate me in that they are simultaneously perfectly ordinary and yet perfectly extraordinary.  Which is to say, her biography reads like that of millions of other American women: an immigrant in her youth who became a naturalized citizen; a graduate of public schools from grade school to college; a dedicated professional in an unnoticed and under appreciated field; a devoted wife and mother to two very unusual and difficult boys. The sort of woman, that is, that you pay no attention to when she's standing in line behind you at the grocery store, but that you are infinitely poorer for not having struck up a conversation with when you had the chance.

She fascinates me in another way as well, because she simply oozes formidability in everything she does.  She's competent, articulate, and tough: the sort of person you most definitely want on your side of any dispute.  Should you have to face off with her, you're bound to lose. There's no shame in that, because she's undoubtedly quicker and more knowledgeable than you are about almost everything.  In any event, she'll never fail to be gracious in victory, and moments after soundly whipping you in argument she'll be laughing uproariously with you.

And oh, that laugh.  Not many people laugh like that; the sort of unreserved, vivacious laugh that brightens an entire room.  People say we should "dance like no one's watching"; well, she laughs like no one's listening.  The laugh speaks of an unmitigated and all-to-rare joy in life's simple pleasures.  To set her laughing is one of the great joys of my life; it is, for want of a better word, uplifting.

Come to think of it, that single word --- uplifting ---  captures the entire experience of knowing her pretty well.

Happy birthday, Mom.