Your House Is Strong

Here is a link to a beautiful love song to mothers written and performed by Nerissa & Katryna Nields:



The lyrics are powerfully simple. My favorite line in the song reminds me that families are nurtured by love and strengthened by difficult times.

Your house is strong, and so are you
The broken spots are where the light shines through.

It is in the coming together to weather the hard times that families grow stronger. I am grateful to my mom and dad for their love and support through both the joyful and painful times. The last few years have been full of both for me, and I thank my parents for believing in me and being such a foundation of kindness, compassion, and support for our entire family. It is in the cracks that we can best see and embrace the light.

"Children pick up on what their parents live." –Sylvia Boorstein

From my Mom--Alice Stratton--I picked up on kindness, showing up, resilience, faith, listening, doing the best you can with what you've got, and love…also the best lasagna on the planet.

From my Dad—Colonel Andy Stratton: I picked up on perseverance, loyalty, integrity, humor, generosity, courage, and love…and having the most fascinating career path of anyone I have ever known.

Mom and Dad—you teach and model the values that you live.

Yes, our house is strong.