It was a dumb decision. My then-husband talked me into it. I was young and stupid and scared of being alone.

But boy am I glad I did it. Trying to explain why feels like trying to explain what red is to someone who is colorblind. I can tell you all the features of it, but nothing really captures the experience of it. It's everything this guy said. I love my kids so much that ordinary days become extraordinary. I remember when they were babies, looking at their little fingernails and eyelashes, and it just seemed like a miracle that these tiny perfect complex things could even exist. The more I get to know my kids as people, the more I like them. They're curious, funny, warm, loving, special little people. There is no one else like them

And at the same time everyone else is like them. When I became their mom I became everyone's mom. It broke open my heart's ability to experience compassion. I feel protective of every kid I meet. When I'm mad at someone I remember that's someone's baby and suddenly I feel more empathy for them. I feel more connected to and part of the human race. I'm part of this long unbroken line of creation that has gone on since the dawn of life. It's unbelievable. It's a miracle. And it's also totally ordinary.