All-American Mom

Thursday is a momentous day for my mother. She will be in Orlando, FL to be sworn in as a new citizen of the United States of America. She has lived down in Florida for about six years now, and previously wintered there for a number of years. Now she can be called an American.

How she came to this occasion is a real modern-day love story. She met her husband on the internet. She was living in Montreal, and had just purchased a beautiful condominium. She put lot of renovation work into that condo, from paint to flooring, furniture to storage management solutions. It was a stunning home. And around that time, she met Irv online. Irv was a product of the streets of Chicago, living in Indianapolis. Mom and Irv connected at first largely because they were both members of Reconstructionist synagogues, which is one of the smaller Jewish constituencies. And Mom was charmed by his online handle, Big Zaidie. They came to realize they had a lot more in common, one thing led to another, and soon they moved together to South Florida. And Mom sold her beautifully furnished condominium. At a profit. Who says you have to choose between love and money?

My mom is (and will continue to be) a proud Canadian, but never cared for the cold winters. In a way, that's like saying, "Jamaica is wonderful, but those beaches have to go." And maybe all of this would not have happened if Canada had ever been able to close the deal with Turks & Caicos. But Mom has embraced her new country, and I have a feeling that citizenship will eventually have special meaning for her. If it helps my sister in her quest for a Green Card, all the better. Most importantly, it means another much-needed vote for the Democrats in Florida! In Palm Beach County no less. I hope the citizenship test includes balloting instructions.

My mother, sister, and most of my extended family live in the U.S. And while I disagree with the actions of the American power elite (and not just under Dubya), I have an affinity for the American people. That is one of the reasons why I take great interest in the American political process. Now that my mom is a citizen, I hope the country does her proud. Congratulations, Mom.