A Giving Tuesday Letter

More than a year ago, when I helped clean out my parents’ home, I discovered a letter my mother had kept for 27 years. It was dated December, 1991, the same year I began my university studies, and signed by the instructor of a writing course my mother had taken at the local community college.

Mary,

Some things, I credit myself with. Reading your portfolio, I’m particularly pleased that I required the consultations from peers because Kris and Lisa have in some sense taken away my anxiety about what exactly to say to you, how to tell you of my extraordinary admiration for your questing spirit, your empathy, your willingness to risk yourself, to support others, to seek answers to unanswerable questions.

Lisa put it best when she said, “Thanks for letting me be in your portfolio.” I feel like saying thanks for letting me teach the course where you learned and wrote these things. You taught me so much that I can never thank you enough for it.

You are a writer,

Michael

It breaks my heart to think that my mother, due to lack of opportunity, resources, support, education, or courage, never followed up on her dream of becoming a published writer. And now, thanks to her diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease, any stories she could have told are forever lost.

Literary Mama has been and always will be a place to reaffirm that mothers can be writers. Help us continue to make dreams come true by considering a donation in any amount to Literary Mama. We are a 501(c)3 organization, and all deductions are fully tax-deductible as allowed by law.

In the spirit of Giving Tuesday, The Consolino Family has stepped forward with a $1500 challenge gift to help build the next generation of mother writers. Every gift will be matched dollar for dollar, up to $1500, between now and December 31.

Thank you for your support.