Photo of the day: PERSON OF THE YEAR – URSULA VON RITTERN

I have broken with tradition and rather than giving my annual title to someone who is on Facebook, I have given the title to someone who is not on FB but deserves the title this year… – my mom. The photo is of her 80th birthday celebration, six years ago.

Personally it has been one of the most horrible and disappointing years I have had in a very long time. It started with Gray Line bus tours laying off the senior tour guides (me) who spoke up trying to save their jobs and it steadily slid downhill from there. One job disappointment after another and sadly many personal and career disappointments as well. The political and national news has been a nightmare almost all year, I can hardly bear to watch the TV. With determination mom stood in the cold on the long lines to cast her vote this year, rather than mail it in. But, one can always look down. I did not get wiped out by hurricane Sandy and mom and I still have each other.

As in several of the worst tragedies we have suffered together, from deaths to illnesses to cruel twists of fate, she has always been a rock. There is always that youthful joyful  voice on the other end of the phone or just around the corner. She brought me elaborate home cooked meals in the snowstorms and bad weather when I was ill, stood by me in all the awful disappointments that came literally up until even yesterday.

I am doubly blessed! I have a loving ‘family of friends’ here on Facebook and on my blog. Some of you I have never even met and I feel so close to and owe so many of you a nice long phone call. But you are “there”, showing me love and support when I need it, for that I thank you all greatly. Thank you und vielen Dank! But when we are lucky enough to always have a loving mother to turn to, we are the most lucky person in the world. Isn’t true…we always turn to mom. So for all the comfort and support and the security of knowing no matter how awful it got and gets, she would be and is there . . . mom has to be the Person of the Year.