Admirable Admiral Mooma

When my brothers and I were younger, our house was the clubhouse for all the local kids. This was because my mother was the only parent within a several block radius who really bothered with her children, and was also willing to bother with other children. My mother has always been the kindest and most compassionate person I know, which is impressive considering what a hard childhood and life she has led. She had a deadbeat dad and abusive mother, and when she got older she was in an abusive relationship. Despite these and many other troubles, she has also retained a brilliant sense of humour, and a generally optimistic view of life. She also has very eclectic tastes, especially in music, and despite being smart she is not arrogant. My mother is the only person I have ever met who speaks my language fluently; balderdash and utter weirdness.

My mother has a way with children, animals, and plants, to the extent that she always ends up being asked for advice about them. She used to work as an SPCA officer, and when an animal ended up at the local shelter and was deemed “not rehomable” – meaning it would be euthanized – she would bring it home and rehabilitate it. Some of our best pets started out as “problem animals.” Her skill with kids and animals is part of why she got the nicknames “Aunt Kim” and “Saint Kim.” She cannot stand to watch suffering, and even has difficulty killing mosquitoes. This kindness does not make her more likely to lie in the name of kindness; she highly values honesty. There is nobody else I have ever met whom I admire more.