Moms are saints FROM THE EDITOR

Ilove the Luke Bryan song, “Most People are Good.” Besides agreeing with the song’s premise that despite what we hear on the news and read on social media about the worst in society –most people are good humans and try to do right by others.

e song also has the line, “most mommas oughta qualify for sainthood.” I also agree with this one particular line. Moms in the world work hard. Over the years — through journalism, through reading, and through becoming a mom and nding myself around other moms a lot more often — I have met some amazing women who get little to no credit for what they do.

First – we have to start with my own mother. She has three biological children, but raised 10 or 20 kids at some point. She raised her brothers and sisters when her own mom died at the age of 50. My uncle is more like my brother because he was only 7 when his mom died.

She also had a hand in raising some of my cousins and others through the years. I can’t say I remember a time in my childhood when my parents were not helping kids and family members.

I have more respect for how hard she worked all those years now that I have a busy, crazy life managing three children of my own. ey say the apple does not fall far from the tree. at is true, as I myself have helped raise other children who needed a parent. I am proud of my adopted daughter and where she has come in the last few years. I’d like to think that my mom’s in uence on me has generated a bit of how I raise her.

en, there are the other mothers out there who deserve more credit. A story I heard about here in the Denver metro area this year is about an immigrant mom working to take care of her 7-year-old daughter. In her home country she was a lawyer. Here, she is a housekeeper worrying every month that another rent increase will put her in the streets.

Moms like her carry the weight of the world on their shoulders and every day they work to do whatever they can to keep their children safe.

All the single, struggling moms out there deserve our support these days in a world where just getting by is getting harder than ever.

To the working moms. I have to say I feel your pain. I recently got my son to hockey practice late. I was distracted with a work thing, and somehow started driving to the wrong ice center. My son was late in hitting the ice and his coach was asking him why. It was no surprise when my son threw me straight under the bus. Another nearby mom said it happens, pushing me to cut myself a break. She went on to tell me how she was more than 30 minutes late for private practice because she made the same mistake.

Working moms are hard on themselves. To you all, I say what she told me — “Cut yourselves a break.” elma Grimes is the south metro editor for Colorado Community Media.

I could extend this week’s column to thousands of words by listing all the amazing moms we have in this world. My boss, my publisher, speaks often about her adult children and the time she spends with them. I hope to be like her when my kids are grown because her love and support shows that we really never top being mom.

Ahead of the day to celebrate moms — I just want to send a heartfelt Happy Mother’s Day wish to all of you.

LINDA SHAPLEY Publisher lshapley@coloradocommunitymedia.com

MICHAEL DE YOANNA

Editor-in-Chief michael@coloradocommunitymedia.com

May is Mental Health Awareness Month and this annual observance hits close to home for me, as a former single parent resident of Warren Village.

Warren Village is a Denver-based nonpro t organization that helps lowincome, single-parent families achieve sustainable personal and economic selfsu ciency. I moved in with my 4-year-old daughter in August of 2019, hoping to build a new life after leaving a domestic violence situation. Little did I know that this decision would not only provide me with a ordable housing

CHRISTY STEADMAN

Editor csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com

LINDSAY NICOLETTI Operations/ Circulation Manager lnicoletti@coloradocommunitymedia.com

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THELMA GRIMES South Metro Editor tgrimes@coloradocommunitymedia.com

ERIN ADDENBROOKE Marketing Consultant eaddenbrooke@coloradocommunitymedia.com and education opportunities, but also vital mental health services.

Before coming to Warren Village, I had already earned a certi cate in medical assisting, but was struggling to make ends meet. I saw the nonpro t as an opportunity to not only continue my education and pay low rent, but also access a range of services such as career development, housing and personal nance, child development and, of course, mental health counseling.

It was just before COVID-19 struck that I began meeting with Pam, a counselor at Warren Village. In response to the pandemic, we shifted to virtual sessions. Despite the challenges, this counseling proved to be life-changing for me. I was diagnosed with PTSD and ADHD, and being able

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